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Use car seats, booster seats and seatbelts every time your child rides in the car.
Each year, more than 227,000 children age 14 and younger are injured in
traffic-related crashes in this country. Another 1,500 die. Traffic crashes are the
most common cause of injury to children nationwide.
Often, injuries occurred or were made more severe because children were not
properly restrained in the car. In a car crash, you will not be able to hold onto
your child. Even if you could, your own weight would crush your child if you were
both thrown against the dashboard and windshield. A car seat only can protect
your child if he or she is in it. Your child should be buckled into his or her car
seat or seat belt for every trip in your vehicle, no matter how short.
Seat belts and car seats save lives if they are used properly and at all times. Every
state has laws requiring that children be properly restrained in a car seat when
riding in a vehicle. According to Wisconsin state law, children younger than 8
must be restrained in an appropriate child car or booster seat.
Using car seats and seat belts is not enough. Car seats save children’s lives, but
only if they are used correctly. Secure your child’s car seat tightly in the car using
a seat belt or your car’s Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
system. If the car seat is loose and moves, your child may not be protected. Make
sure you have a copy of the vehicle owner’s manual as well as the manufacturer’s
instruction booklet for your child’s car seat and follow the instructions.
 Infants always should ride in a
rear-facing car seat placed in
the back seat until they are at
least 1 year old and weigh at
least 20 pounds. Infant-only
seats are designed to be used
rear-facing only. Larger,
convertible seats fit children
from birth to about 4 years old
or 40 pounds. These seats can
be used rear-facing, and then
turned around to face the front
when children have met the maximum rear-facing limits of that seat. Many seats
can be used rear-facing longer. If a car safety seat accommodates children rearfacing
to higher weights, for optimal protection, the child should remain
rear-facing until he or she has reached the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of your child’s head is below the top of the seat back.
Rear-facing seats should never be placed in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger-side air bag. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations
when installing your car seat.
Your child may go through a stage where he or she complains when put into the
seat. Remember that you can’t drive without everyone buckled up.
Check to make sure that the straps or seat belt fit snugly and aren’t twisted.
Dress your baby in clothes that allow the crotch strap to be buckled. Rather than
using a snowsuit, place a blanket over your child.
In hot weather, place a towel over the car seat to keep the sun from heating the
buckles. Always touch the buckles and any vinyl before placing your child in the
seat to make sure that they aren’t hot.
Entertain your baby by talking or singing to him as you drive.
When your child weighs more than 40 pounds or your child’s shoulders are higher
than the top set of strap slots in the car seat, it is time for a booster seat. Booster
seats fit children up to 80 pounds and must be used with vehicle lap and
shoulder belts. They protect your child’s upper body by adjusting your vehicle’s
shoulder belt. The booster also raises your child so the lap/shoulder belt fits
correctly. A high-back booster or platform booster is preferred.
Once you switch your child to seat belts, remember that a lap/shoulder belt offers
more protection than a lap belt alone. The shoulder belt prevents your child from
snapping forward in a head-on crash.
Certainly a lap belt is better than no seat belt at all. It is important, however, that
a child wear a lap belt correctly. Place the lap belt snugly over your child’s upper
thighs. Do not place the lap belt over your child’s stomach, as this could result in
severe abdominal and spinal injuries in an accident.
Placing a lap belt on the upper thighs applies to adults, as well.
If your car has only lap belts in the rear seat, you should consider installing
lap/shoulder belts. Many cars with lap belts can be retrofitted with shoulder belts
for a small cost. Check with your car’s manufacturer.
A lap/shoulder belt offers the best protection for you and your child. But even a
lap/shoulder belt cannot protect a person if it is not used correctly. A shoulder
belt should lie across the shoulder and may touch the base of the neck. If the
shoulder belt crosses your child’s face or neck, your child can slide under the
shoulder harness in a sudden stop.
To adjust the shoulder belt placement on your child, you can:
- Lower the belt height adjuster (built into newer vehicle models).
- Use a shoulder belt extender, available through auto dealers for various makes
of cars.
- Use a belt-position adjuster to realign the shoulder belt.
- Adjust the seat forward or back, but do not recline it.
- Move your child closer to the center of the seat.
- Place your child in a booster seat.
Never place the shoulder belt behind your child or under your child’s arm.
Some children do not like to be restrained in a car. If they unbuckle the
restraints, pull over immediately, stop the car and refasten the restraints.
Many school buses are not equipped with seatbelts. Teach your child to always
remain seated when riding in a school bus.
Remember to always buckle up when you are in the car, no matter how far you
travel. You set the example for your child.
Other car safety reminders
Never leave your child alone in a car, no matter how short of a time you will be
away from your car. Temperatures can reach deadly levels in minutes. Your child
could be strangled by power windows, sunroofs or accessories. Your child could
be taken during a car theft or kidnapped from the vehicle. Your child could knock
the vehicle into gear, causing a crash.
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