Car seat safety

Car Seat Safety – 8 tips every parent should know

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Car Seat Safety

When you have a child, you’re suddenly thrust into a new world. There are so many new things that you have to worry about, and one of the first things is car seat safety. You have to have a car seat from the minute you bring your baby home from the hospital, so it is quite an important item. To make a responsible purchase, you have to be informed about what car seats are safest, what will last a long time, and many other things. After all, you will be dealing with different car seats until your child is a teenager. This means doing research before hand and staying informed.

8 Car Seat Safety Tips for Parents and Carers

These tips will guide you with many of the things you need to know that revolve around car seat safety, so not only will you be able to protect your little ones; you’ll also be able to teach other people what they need to know.

1. Know all the different types of car seats

rear facing car seat
forward facing car seat
Booster Seat Safety

The first time a child rides in the car, they need a special type of car seat. As they grow, they will go through multiple different types of seats, which may need to be updated once a kid gets to a certain height and weight. The best way for you to know when the best time to get a new seat or to upgrade is to know all about the different types of seats, when they should be used, and by whom.

2. Learn about expiration dates

Child safety seats come with an expiration date, which is often printed on a label that can be found on the side or bottom of the product. This isn’t just for show; it is a date you should abide by to make sure you are being quite safe. The reason for the date is that there may be updates in the design that allow for more safety and the materials that make up the seat have a tendency to break down over time. Learn more about this here.

3. Be familiar with your local laws

car seat safety laws

Knowing your local laws can help you always obey them. This can save you from getting in trouble and make sure your children are seated the correct way in the seats. These laws are designed to tell you where your child has to sit in the car and what type of seats they have to use. For instance, most US States mandate that children must sit in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old. This may not go over well with your preteen, but it will keep them covered on the road. See our article on car seat safety laws for more information (link).

4. Keep yourself informed about safety issues

If you subscribe to parenting magazines or newsletters (Parents Magazine is a popular choice), they’ll be able to inform you of any recalls or problems with some of the products available for sale. Then you can know what items to stay away from and what to look out for. This will keep you safe and you can tell your fellow parents, in case they don’t know.

5. Know top rated seats

You can stay ahead of the trends when you are familiar with all the top rated car seats. This way you’ll always know what car seats are a good buy, what the safest car seats are, and what the costs are.

As a result of getting familiar with the latest and greatest car seats you will get to know the latest car seat safety technology too. Features such as the load leg and side impact protection have research proving their effectiveness in enhancing car seat safety. 

Each year, there are companies that test these items, and you can look at the results of the test. This can tell you the best car seat brands and what you can expect from them as far as what can happen if you get into an accident.

6. Help others

help others to understand car seat safety

Remember, just because you are informed, doesn’t mean everyone is. If someone needs help and doesn’t know about car seats or isn’t familiar with the car safety rules for children, tell them everything you know.

You may even want to share websites like Kid Sitting Safe with them, so they can read about how to keep their kids safe. Why not follow us on your favourite social media platform so you can share our car seat safety information with them.

It's important to make sure your friends know all the details you know as well, in addition to anyone else that drives your kids around. You want your child to have the same level of protection, no matter what car they are travelling in.

7. Register your products

Take a minute to register any car seat that you purchase. This will enable you to know of any safety concerns or recalls the seat may have, so you can have it fixed or replaced. Registering will also allow you to enact any warranty that the product carries, in case it ever becomes damaged.

8. Research from time to time

There is so much information out there regarding children’s safety. There are articles from parents and organizations that offer tips and advice for travelling, car seats, and nearly everything else. Do some quick searches from time to time, to ensure that you are up on the latest information. Kid Sitting Safe is here to help and our aim is to keep up to date with the latest information on car seat safety so drop by and say hi when you get the chance.

Conclusion

When you are learning about car seats and safety, there’s a whole lot of information to process. However, this information is something that every parent must know. This is because there are rules you are required to follow and more importantly, there are tried and true methods to keep your kids safe.

Stay informed about products that hit the market and learn about all the different types of car seats that a child must use as they grow. Pay a visit to this site from time to time or follow us on social media to stay informed. Besides these easy things, it’s important to know the laws in your area. There are rules for babies all the way to teenagers, about where they have to sit in the car, and what items they have to use when they aren’t large enough to sit with just a seat belt.

Please do whatever you can to make sure you and your family are always following the rules and staying safe because it is up to you to protect your family.

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Robert

Robert is a father of a young daughter and has developed an expertise in child car seat safety. He is a keen supporter of the use of child safety systems having seen his daughter come away from a side impact collision unscathed due to the use of a child car seat. When he's not spending time reviewing child safety systems he works as a Technical Manager on major construction projects.

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