The Importance of Using Car Seats and Its Challenges
The Importance of Using Car Seats and Its Challenges
To keep your children safe, using a car seat while riding in a vehicle is essential. Not only is it a safety precaution, but it is the law. Car seats help to prevent fatal injuries that are sustained during accidents; they provide a barrier between your child and the impact.
In the United States, car accidents are the number one leading cause of death for children under the age of 12. A lot of these deaths are preventable with proper use of a car seat. All parents need to be aware that a car seat can be the only thing to save a child’s life during a moment so terrifying.
Deciding on a car seat can take some planning and research. There are so many different models to choose from that it can be overwhelming when it comes to making a decision. You must consider the safety that the car seat provides, your budget, and additional features.
You are going to want something that is sturdy but fits well in your vehicle. The restraints must be sturdy enough to hold your child, but comfortable enough to be worn for long periods of time. Finding this balance can be a tough task.
Why Are Car Seats Essential?
Just as a seatbelt acts as a restraint for an adult, a car seat is meant to better restrain a child during car rides. If you have a great car seat but poor-fitting restraints, they will not be effective in case of an accident. Your child’s weight and height will determine what kind of harness is needed.
A 5-point harness is what young children start out with. It is a restraint that goes over both shoulders and buckles at the crotch. This is the most secure way for a baby to ride in a vehicle. You must check on a regular basis to make sure that your child has not outgrown this.
On rear-facing car seats, the shoulder straps must come through the seat at or below the shoulders. The opposite is true for front-facing car seats; the straps need to come through at or above the shoulders.
Once your child outgrows the 5-point harness, the next seat would be a booster seat. A booster utilizes the vehicle’s seatbelt along with a car seat base. This type of seat is appropriate for older children who weigh more. Always make sure to check the height/weight requirements.
Doing a pinch test is a way for you to easily check the fit of your child’s harness. After buckling your child up, pinch the webbing at the shoulder strap. There should not be any excess material between your fingers.
If you realize that you are able to pinch the straps, this means that the harness does not fit properly. This is a common mistake that is made by plenty of parents, and it can be easily corrected.
Bulky clothes also must be considered; if your child is wearing layers, this can affect the tightness of the harness. To ensure that you are adequately protecting your child, measure the harness prior to putting on any coats. It will buckle tightly over the clothing, but it will be holding your child securely.
What is Challenging About Using Car Seats?
As much as car seats are essential and helpful, they can also come with their own set of challenges. The following are some of the difficulties that are encountered while using car seats:
- The LATCH is Hard to Buckle: When installing a car seat, there is a LATCH mechanism that must connect properly. It is an additional way to anchor your child’s seat. This part can be difficult, depending on the ease of access to this latch and the type of car that you have.
- The Harness Can Loosen: While you know the importance of keeping your children buckled correctly, the harness might become loose over time. You must check that it is tight enough on a regular basis. This is especially true during Winter when your child will be wearing layered clothing.
- Using the Wrong Seat is an Easy Mistake: Just because your child rides in a car seat does not automatically guarantee protection. The seat must be appropriate for the weight/height/age of your child. There are many different seats to choose from: rear-facing, front-facing, booster, etc…
Can Children Unbuckle Themselves Easily?
A fear as a parent is hearing your child unbuckle from the car seat while you are driving. Because you don’t have free hands or even eyes, this situation can ultimately lead to danger. Aside from teaching your child not to touch the buckle, there are devices that are meant to help.
A buckle guard connects to your child’s harness in order to keep it in place. These child-proof guards are great for that extra peace of mind that you require when you are driving. They are a relatively inexpensive option for when your child discovers that he/she can unbuckle in the car.
In case your child does come unbuckled in a moving vehicle, the safest and easiest way to remedy this is to pull over when it is safe. Panicking in a moving vehicle is never going to create a positive result, so stay calm! Re-buckle your child, and if appropriate, explain why it is important to stay buckled up.
Children will normally grasp the concept pretty easily, especially if you are able to explain the dangers of riding unbuckled in a car. You shouldn’t scare your child into staying buckled, but an emphasis on safety is important.
If you have a young child, making sure that there are plenty of distractions that are readily available can be helpful. Anything from sippy cups to stuffed animals will keep the focus away from unbuckling the harness. You can also bring along a small, car-friendly device for your child to watch cartoons on.
How to Be Smart With Car Safety?
Safety is the priority of any driver, especially a parent transporting a child. Knowing how to determine if a car seat is installed properly can mean the difference between life and death in some cases. Always make sure that you are checking the seat requirements and make upgrades as necessary as your child grows.
If you are using common sense and double checking the effectiveness of your child’s car seat on a regular basis, then you can rest easy knowing that the car seat will do the rest. A great car seat should not only be safe but also comfortable for your child; make sure that your car seat is both.
This very important article was brought to you today by CarSeatMom.
Keren Simanova is a busy mommy by day and a passionate writer by night. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and three daughters.
While spending countless hours researching car seats for her children, she created an educational car seat blog, CarSeatsMom.com to educate other mothers about the importance of car seats. Further, along the way, the blog became an invaluable source for research of a variety of car seat brands, unique features, and mommies’ reviews.
