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How to choose a child seat A child seat must fit your car properly. The best way is to bring your car to the store and test-fit the seat. It must be reasonably easy to install and remove. The child seat is usually attached using the car’s seatbelt so make sure the seatbelt fits; some belts may not extend far enough to buckle a large seat properly. To make installation easier, newer child seats are equipped with LATCH or Isofix attachments. These are buckles or straps that attach to mounting points on the car without the need for a seatbelt. Newer cars (all new cars sold in the USA from 2000 onwards, for example) have LATCH / Isofix mounting points in the rear seating area. It’s a good idea to consider this feature when buying a car. The seat must have passed safety standards as mandated by American or European law. Look for indications that a child seat has passed such regulations. This will probably be stamped on the box, indicated in the manual, or labeled on the seat itself. Buy a seat that suits your child’s size and weight. An infant will need a baby carrier; a toddler, a rear-facing seat; and an older child, a booster seat, preferably a booster cushion-backrest combination. The most important features of a booster are the “horns” on the child’s seat bottom. The pelvic bones of a child have not developed the distinctive structure called the iliac crest, necessary to keep the belt from riding upward in an accident. The horns on the booster perform this function. Comfort is also a factor. It will be more difficult to keep a child in the seat if she is not comfortable. The child must be reasonably snug in the seat, but not tightly constricted, apart from the restraints. Booster seats with “wing” projections at the head portion help keep the child’s head upright if she falls asleep. Installing and using a child seat The safest place to install a child seat is in the rear seat. Never install a child seat in front if the car is equipped with a passenger airbag. If you must install a child seat in front, have the dealer deactivate the front airbag, or turn it off if your vehicle is equipped with such a switch. Kids below 140 cm (4 ft. 7 in.) should not ride in the front seat of a car with a passenger airbag. Read and follow the instruction manual thoroughly. In general, you must make sure that the seat is tightly attached, with almost no movement when pushed or pulled in any direction. The seat should be reclined at a 45-degree angle. The LATCH or Isofix system makes proper installation easier, as you can use the provided mounting points instead of wrestling with the vehicle’s seatbelts. The child must ride properly in the seat, and must buckle up using the seat’s restraints. The restraint usually consists of a three or five-point harness. You must buckle up your future Formula One star, just like the racing drivers do. You should be able to insert one or two fingers under the strap once it’s buckled; otherwise you have to tighten it further. A booster seat allows the child to use the vehicle’s seatbelt as her restraint. The booster should be used with an adult lap-and-shoulder belt in the rear seat. The shoulder belt should rest snugly across chest and shoulder; and should never be placed under the arm or behind the back. The lap belt should rest low, across the lap/upper thigh area—not across the stomach. The child still inside the mother should also be protected. Pregnant women should buckle up at all times. The diagonal portion of the belt should cross down between the breasts with no slack, and from there, on down along the side of the tummy. The lap belt must go across the tops of the thighs below the pregnant “bump”—never across the front of the tummy. No matter how carefully you drive, there are factors beyond your control, and accidents can happen even on short drives. Even if you manage to avoid a collision, hard braking or severe maneuvers can also throw unrestrained occupants around. Without question, a car’s primary purpose is to keep its occupants safe. The car’s passive safety systems—seatbelts, airbags and crumple zones—can only do that if you use them properly. Keep everyone buckled up, especially children. They are your car’s most precious cargo; keep them safe whenever you drive. For more information, visit these websites: |
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