Five Star Safety - Car Seat

Car Seat

A car seat is one of the most important baby safety products you'll buy, yet it can be ineffective if it's not installed correctly. A study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that 50-80% of car seats in use today are improperly installed. This can result in injury or even death if you're in an accident. To make this particular safety product effective, make sure it's installed correctly.

Proper Car Seat Installation

Believe it or not, in addition to considering your child's size when purchasing a car seat, you should also consider the type of vehicle you drive. A car seat that fits in an SUV may be too big for a compact car. Before you choose one, make sure it fits in your car. With assistance from the store's associate, most stores will allow this.

Prior to installation, read the instruction manual. Don't assume you know how it works just because you've done it before. Some car seats have different installation requirements. Make sure you install it in the back seat, and make sure the seatbelts in your car will fit the car seat. Once you've finished installing it, try to move it. It shouldn't move more than an inch side to side. If it does, you haven't installed it properly.

If you've worked and worked at installing this most important of safety products but still aren't sure you have it right, go to a local police station and ask for assistance. They will be more than glad to help you.