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 CAR SEAT SAFETY
California's car seat law requires that children use a child safety restraint system until they are either 6 years old or 60 pounds.
It's also important that your car safety seat be installed properly to insure that your child is fully protected. Sadly, an estimated 90% of child restraints are used incorrectly.
Call the manufacturer to check recalls or check online at www.NHTSA.DOT.gov.
Booster Seat Safety - The 5-Step Test
Lap and shoulder belts protect average size adults, but children need additional protection. Booster seats give children the lift they need so that lap and shoulder belts can do their job. Children should stay in a booster seat until the adult lap belt stays on the upper thighs, away from their stomach, and the shoulder belt comes across the chest without rubbing their neck. Passengers should never ride with the shoulder belt under their arm or behind their back. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends using a booster seat until the child is 8 years old, 80 pounds, and 4' 9" tall. If your child is NOT riding in a booster, try this 5-Step Test:
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Does the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Is the lap belt below the tummy, touching the thighs?
4. Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to ride safely in the car.
Secure your child in a rear-facing seat:
Make sure that:
Harness straps are at or below the shoulder level
Harness straps are snug
The retainer clip is at the armpit level
The harness straps are threaded correctly
Placing the seat in your car:
Make sure that:
The car seat is ALWAYS in the back seat
The car seat is NEVER in the front seat with an airbag!
You keep your baby rear facing until at least AGE 1 & 20 POUNDS
Once your baby reaches 20 pounds you can use a rear facing convertible seat which goes to 30-35 pounds
Getting a proper fit:
Make sure that:
You read the instruction manual that came with your seat
You read your car owners manual
The car seat should be reclined at a 45 degree angle
The car seat should not move more than 1 inch at the belt path
Miscellaneous tips:
Dress the baby in one outfit and DO NOT bundle in a blanket; the straps need to fit through the legs.
NEVER place padding or blankets under or behind the baby
Always buckle the baby in the seat
NEVER hold your baby in your lap when riding in the car
Contact your local California Highway Patrol office for fitting station appointments.
The information contained in the Chain-Younger Web Site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. In addition, an
Attorney-Client relationship is not created by viewing this information.
Changes in the law or the specific facts of your case may result in legal
interpretations that are different from those presented. To protect your
legal rights following severe injury or wrongful death resulting from an
accident, it is wise to immediately consult Chain-Younger.
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