Clunk Click Every Trip | Marriage

By VivienneMyatt
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Word Count: 617

Parents go out of their way to choose the right car seat for their baby, they spend significant time and money to protect their most precious cargo. Yet, in a recent study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that, according to a multi-year study, misuse occurred in 79.5 percent of the child safety seats inspected. Through the wrong use of safety restraints, many children are actually put in potential harm by otherwise well meaning parents.

The improper usage of safety restraints was the major fault found in the study. Problems were discovered in the looseness of both the safety belts and the harness straps. These mistakes, the ones that almost every parent makes, are the ones that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, as it is also called, say can be the most "critical".

Age, weight, and position of the seat are all factors that need to be strictly adhered to when picking a safety seat. Many parents put their child in rear-facing car seats, but this should only be done if the child is less than one year old and weighs less than twenty pounds. Always be 100% certain you have bought the correct safety seat for your child. Never let your baby "borrow" his big brothers or his older sisters car seat from when they were 1 year old or older. It can prove fatal..!

Convertible seats provide a good opportunity to get the most bang for your buck, because they fit infants and still allow the baby to grow. Growth of the child is accommodated through the heavier convertible car seat. Infants, who are placed in the convertible seats, if they are under 20 pounds and less than one year old, are placed facing the rear of the back seat. You can go ahead and place any child that is 20-40 pounds in a front-facing position.

It is of the utmost importance that every parent should know how to use whichever seat they pick. There are two reading pieces that should help you learn how to do use the seat properly: the manufacturer guide that came with the seat and your own car's vehicle guide. Remember to double check the buckle that straps in the car seat and the restraints that hold the baby in place.

Many parents get frustrated having to use harness straps, but they do need to fit around baby's chest tightly and correctly and connect in the appropiate slot. If strapping the harness into a slot position in a convertible, the relevant slots are above or at the shoulder; if using an infant car seat, the appropriate place is below. Parents should check their owner's manual to confirm placement, and they should make sure that the harness clip is at the same level as the baby's armpits, and double check that no straps of the harness are twisted.

Positions of the seat matter to seat belt placement; always follow the right path for your position and whenever possible, tilt your chair back 45 degrees. A rolled towel under the base helps secure the seat into position. Manually tighten the seat belt if you need to make adjustments, so that the seat belt is held into place. For any car that has LATCH systems, the owner must take note of that and make sure their seat is installed the way their car seat guide and vehicle ownership guide detail. Other important facts to keep in mind are the general seat age and condition. Only buy seats that are younger than five years and have a complete set of manufacturer's instructions. Along with the owner's manual, your seat should have all its parts, and should have never been involved in any type of car accident.

About the Author

Read this article by Vivienne Myatt and check if your child is in danger. Discover how you keep your child safe. Also, see how subscribers to her newsletter save money every month. Her interests are shared by mums and moms everywhere.

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