Car Safety Seats
Car Safety Tips
If you use an older car
seat, make sure that the seat:
Accident-Proof Your Home
Bathroom
Kitchen
Living Areas
Kids and Cars
Kids as Pedestrians
School Buses
School Bus Safety
Car
Safety Seats
When your grandchild comes to stay with you, either
permanently or temporarily, if you have a car, you must have a child's car seat. How you
place and secureit in your vehicle depends on which type you have chosen. There are three
basic types, each one designed to fit children of various ages and weights. You may choose
an infant seat, a convertible seat, or a booster seat.
The infant seat is suitable for a child from birth up to about twenty pounds or one year of age. This seat always is placed in the back seat and faces the rear of the car. Never place an infant seat in the front seat of a car with airbags. If you choose an infant seat rather than a convertible seat, you will need to buy the "next size up" once your grandchild has outgrown it. Infant seats, however, may fit some babies better than convertible seats, and they are easier to maneuver.
Convertible seats can be used from birth up to about forty pounds. They can double as infant seats in the rear-facing position, and can then be turned forward for toddlers. They are heavier and less portable than infant seats, but many people prefer to purchase one car seat that can be used for about the first four years.
There are three versions of the convertible seat: the 5-point harness, the T-shield, and the Overhead/Tray Shield. The 5-point harness is best for infants and toddlers because it has five straps that secure at the shoulders, the hips, and the crotch area. The T-shield has a strap with a padded triangular or T-shaped shield that buckles into the seat at the crotch. The Overhead/Tray shield swings down in front of the child. Choose the seat that suits your grandchild best.
The booster seat is suitable for toddlers weighing forty pounds and over. There are two versions: the shield booster and the belt position booster. The shield booster seat is a seat with an overhead bar or a small door that snaps into place. The automobile seat belt fits in front of the shield to hold the seat in place. This seat provides less upper body support than the belt position booster, but often fits better in an older model car that does not have shoulder belts. The belt position booster is a high-back seat that is secured in the care with the automobile shoulder belts.
Car
Safety Tips
Until your grandchild is large enough
to sit normally in the car with the belt straps lying across the chest and lap area, you
should use a child's car seat. Always place your grandchild in the back seat--it's the
safest place for children of all ages. In addition, you should:
* read the car seat instruction booklet and your vehicle owner manual for proper installation;
* make sure that all seat belt straps lie across the chest and lap and not the face, neck or stomach;
* avoid placing the shoulder belt behind your grandchild's back or underneath the arm;
* never place car seats in the front seat in an airbag-equipped car;
* face infant seats to the rear of the car;
* face a convertible seat to the rear and in a reclined position for children under 20 pounds;
* make sure that enough slack has been taken out of the seat belts to secure the seat firmly;
* consider shoulder belt locking clips (New cars are equipped with these and give you instructions on how to use them);
* avoid seats with shields for small infants. Wait until your grandchild is a few months old.
If you use an older car seat, make sure that the seat:
* was made after January 1, 1981;
* has never been in a serious accident;
* is labeled with the model number and date of manufacture so you can check to see if any recalls of the seat have been made;
* comes with instructions;
* has all its working parts;
* has no signs of physical damage.
Whether using a new car seat or an older one, use your best judgment in choosing the one that is best for your grandchild. Before using a seat, see how well the child fits in it and how well the seat fits in your car. For further information, call the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
Accident-Proof
Your Home
Children are most vulnerable to accidents when they are
under 5. If you have a younger grandchild living with you, permanently or temporarily,
there are a few simple things you can do to accident-proof each room in your house and
keep him or her safe.
Bathroom--The major dangers are falls and drowning:
* use non-skid rugs that cover plenty of floor
space;
* apply non-skid strips/shapes in the bathtub;
* install a toilet-locking device;
* stay with young children when they are in the bathroom;
* don't use bath seats or rings as safety devices;
* set water temperature on the water heater at 120 degrees F, if you can;
* test bath water with your wrist or elbow to avoid scalding your grandchild. Remember, it takes only 2 inches of water to drown a young child, so never leave a child unattended in the bathroom. Bath chairs and rings are not safety devices and can tip over quite easily.
Kitchen--The dangers are burns and access to dangerous items stored in the
cabinets or drawers:
* keep children away from the stove;
* install safety latches on cabinets and drawers;
* keep appliance cords from dangling over the edge of the counter;
* keep surfaces clear;
* do not use a tablecloth;
* put glasses, plates, and silverware away;
* put hot food well out of reach.
Living
Areas--The major chances of injury here involve falls
against hard furniture, access to electrical outlets, and, for living space on the second
floor or higher, falls from windows:
* use child gates. Place one in front of stairways and one in the doorway of any room
where a child should not be alone;
* place tables or chairs away from windows;
* install childproof window latches;
* tie window shade cords up;
* keep electrical cords out of reach;
* block access to electrical outlets or install childproof plug guards;
* consider plastic protectors on sharp furniture edges;
* create "pathways" through the room so that a child can easily move through.
Using these safety measures in your home will help protect your grandchild from serious injury. You can then be sure that, if your attention is diverted, you have reduced the ordinary household dangers facing your curious little explorers.
Kids
and Cars--Grandparents taking care of preschool children
know how quick they are and how unaware of danger they often are.
* Each year, many children are injured or
killed when they suddenly dart into the path of a car.
* Most preschoolers are injured near their home or on their own street.
* Most crashes involving preschoolers happen in fair and warm weather.
* Twice as many preschool boys are injured than preschool girls.
* Most crashes involving preschoolers happen between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Kids
as Pedestrians--Prevent tragedies:
* don't let them cross the street alone;
* teach them who can help them cross the street safely;
* tell your grandchild how to cross the street safely;
* when you cross the street always:
* stop at the curb;
* look left-right-left for traffic;
* cross only when it is clear;
* keep looking for cars as you cross.
* praise your grandchild for copying your safe actions or words.
School
Buses: Putting your grandchild on a school bus for the
first time is often a major milestone. Some facts to know:
* school buses are the safest form of highway
transportation;
* about 44,000 public school buses carry around 20 million students approximately 5 billion miles each year;
* in 1996, 10 school bus occupants were killed in crashes (2 drivers, 8 passengers);
* in 1996, 23 pedestrians were killed in school bus-related crashes; about two-thirds of school bus-related fatalities happen outside the bus.
School
Bus Safety--Let your grandchild know how to stay safe by
following these few simple rules:
* be at the stop before the bus is due;
* stand at least 3 giant steps (6 feet) away from the edge of the road;
* line up away from the street;
* wait until the bus stops, the door opens and the driver says it is okay to board;
* to cross the street in front of the bus, walk 5 giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure you and the bus driver can see each other;
* never walk behind the bus;
* if you drop something near or under the bus, tell the driver. Never try to pick it up. The driver may not see you and begin to drive away.
From Parenting Grandchildren: A
Voice for Grandparents, from the AARP
Grandparent Information Center, Fall 1998.