Tips for Car Seat Safety

Sept. 20-24 is Child Passenger Safety Week (CPSW) sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

CPSW’s goal is to educate parents about proper car seat installation and use. On average four kids younger than age 14 die in car accidents every day and more than 500 are injured. The proper use of car seats and seat belts decreases that risk, according to NHTSA, but more than 75 percent of car seats are improperly installed.

Dorel Juvenile Group, one of the sponsors of CPSW gives the following suggestions for proper car seat use:

1. Face children to the rear;
2. Use car seats that fit the child’s weight and height;
3. Do not buy used or expired car seats;
4. Replace car seats that were involved in an accident;
5. Consult the experts, such as fire fighters or local police officers.

Additional car seat tips can be found at safety1st.com. For more information about CPSW, go to nhtsa.gov.