02/08/2017

5 Car Seat Safety Tips

Your children are your most precious cargo, so follow this advice to keep them safe in their car seats every time you travel.

1. FIND THE RIGHT CAR SEAT

Select the right car seat based on your child’s age and size, as well as on the size and make of your vehicle.

2. REGISTER YOUR CAR SEAT

Register your car seat with the manufacturer so that you receive any recall notices.

3. USE IT CORRECTLY, EVERY TIME

Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions for height and weight limits. To maximize safety, keep children rear facing as long as possible, until at least age two.

4. DO THE PINCH TEST

The harness should be tight enough that you can't pinch the webbing between your thumb and forefinger. Any extra slack can be dangerous. This is especially important during the winter months. Take bulky winter jackets off before harnessing children into seats. Use blankets over the child and straps once they are harnessed into the seat.

5. INSTALL IT CORRECTLY

Four out of five car seats are not installed correctly! If you have even the simplest question or concern have a certified child passenger safety technician take a look.

Wentworth-Douglass offers free monthly car seat checks. Safety checks take about 30-45 minutes per family. Register for a Car Seat Safety Check online or call (603) 740-3335 for more information. 

For more information on car seat safety, visit safercar.gov.

FOUNDATION FUNDS SAFER CAR SEATS

In 2016, four Wentworth-Douglass staff members became certified child passenger technicians thanks to donations to the Wentworth-Douglass Foundation. After a young boy was treated here in the Emergency Department for a fractured femur, his father could not securely fasten him into his car seat because of the cast. Thanks to her new training, Kate Lanz, RN, a pediatric nurse, was able to provide the family an adaptive car seat and teach them how to use it, allowing them to safely return home.