Car Seat Safety

Ohio Committee is considering car seat bill

carseatsafety — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:54:04 +0000

FAIRFIELD COUNTY - Ohio could be the next state to require children ages 4 to 8 and shorter than 4 feet, 9 inches to be in a booster seat while riding in a motor vehicle.

That’s the proposed legislation, House Bill 320, before the Infrastructure, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs committee. Ohio would become the 40th state to adopt such legislation if state legislators approve the bill.

Childcare provider Kristie Byrd, who is a mother of two, said the legislation is long overdue. Her youngest daughter Sarah, now 9, rode in a booster seat until about 18 months ago. “But every so often, she’ll ride in (a booster seat) if she doesn’t feel comfortable in the car she’s traveling in,” Byrd said of her tall but small-frame child.

J.D. Postage, a Violet Township fireman and paramedic, said many parents don’t realize their children could be seriously injured during a crash even if they are wearing a seatbelt because it doesn’t fit them properly.

Read the full story on the Lancaster Eagle Gazette >>

Evenflo recalls 1,038 more Discovery car seats

carseatsafety — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:11:14 +0000

We just found this report on Consumer reports about a massive Evenflo carseat recall..check it out..

Evenflo Thursday recalled 1,038 of its Discovery infant car seats because some of the seats may have been shipped without complete assembly of the red release handle located on the back of the seat. Under certain circumstances, the seat may become separated from the base, possibly resulting in serious injury to the child.

On its Web site, Evenflo explains that that recall involves the “302Z” model seats manufactured on Feb. 4 of this year and sold at Wal-Mart and Target stores from March 11 to 21. The full model numbers are 3021769Z and 3021854Z and can be found on a sticker on the bottom of the seat (see photos).

Read the full story on Consumer Reports >>

Parents warned to avoid puffy garb for complete safety

carseatsafety — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:00:04 +0000

NEW GLASGOW – In addition to securely fastening toddlers into child seats, experts say to watch for puffy, padded winter garb, which may negate their effect. Last month Transport Canada issued a warning to parents to remove puffy jackets from children who use car seats, as they may slacken seatbelts.

Crystal MacKinnon-Murray, who founded the Babies to Boosters program, which offers clinics and advice on properly securing children in booster seats, said the clinics have always advised parents to make sure there’s nothing between their children and the restraint they’re using, even heavy winter outerwear.

Written by SEAN KELLY via the The Truro Daily News - Read More >>

Consumer Reports retracts infant car seat study

carseatsafety — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:05:25 +0000

It looks like Consumer Reports fesses up..

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Consumer Reports magazine backed off Thursday from its recent negative report on infant car seats, saying test crashes were conducted at speeds higher than it had claimed.

The magazine reported Jan. 4 that most of the seats it tested “failed disastrously” in crashes at speeds as low as 35 mph. In one test, it said, a dummy child was hurled 30 feet.

Consumer Reports said Thursday it had received information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showing that the speeds at which its side-impact tests were conducted were higher than the 38.5 mph reported.

Cold Medicines Dangerous for Infants

carseatsafety — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:54:02 +0000

Not really car seat related, but I wanted to comment on this one…..In an interesting report released from the CDC, it claims that Dosing mistakes killed three, sent 1,500 to ER. The report comes just after a slew of car seat safety reports by Consumer Reports. The question I wonder is, once again, is this parental neglect? It appears so…

In 2005, three infants under the age of 6 months died from taking such medications. And, from 2004 to 2005, more than 1,500 children under the age of 2 were treated in emergency rooms for problems related to taking such medications, according to a report released Thursday.

The report goes on…

“Cough and cold medicines can be harmful, and even fatal, and should be used with caution in children under 2 years of age,” said study author Dr. Adam Cohen, an officer in the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “They are drugs, so they have risks as well as benefits.”

The study appears in the Jan. 12 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the CDC.

What do you think? Is this for real?

NHTSA issues a statement on the recent report on Car Seat Safety

carseatsafety — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:44:26 +0000

NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason issued a statement saying: “We are always interested in making car seats better and safer but not more complicated and difficult for parents. . . . We don’t want consumers misled into thinking holding a child is better than putting it into a car seat.”

Nine seats failed some or all of the higher-speed tests, Consumer Reports said, while meeting the federal 30 mph standard. Another seat was judged unacceptable because it did not fit well in several cars, the magazine said.

The magazine tested the type of seat that faces the rear of the car and snaps in and out of a base. It used test dummies weighing 22 or 30 pounds, depending on the seat manufacturers’ claims.

In the 35 mph test, seats separated from their bases, rotated too far or would have inflicted grave injuries, Consumer Reports said. At 38 mph, four seats flew out of their bases, it said.

Consumer Reports Tests - but are they flawed from the start?

carseatsafety — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:01:01 +0000

It looks like Consumer Reports just released a new car seat safety report that details what happens to car seats during crash tests. What is interesting about these reports is that only 2 of the 12 tested “performed well”….

Of 12 infant seats we tested, only 2 performed well: the Baby Trend Flex-Loc and the Graco SnugRide with EPS

If you take the time and watch this video however, I want you to watch the part that I highlighted in the image above - it’s right before the first impact in the video. Is the base of the seat even connected properly? Personally I don’t think it is put in at all - what people don’t get is that you can’t just click a car seat in like you do to yourself when you, a regular sized adult, get into a car.

I am not saying it’s right by any means that it’s so hard to put in a car seat, but what I am saying is that you have to put some effort to it. Personally, for my son’s Britax car seat, I have to physically get in the car and secure the seat before I buckle it to get the thing secure so it has no lateral movement.Take a look at the header image of this site, you will see how hard the seat digs into the leather of the rear seat and how tight the seat is secured in.

If you watch closely in the consumer reports video, you will see the base of the seat in the video comes off the seat with major lateral movement even before the peak of the crash impact.

So what does this test tell us? Sure, there are plenty of middle to bottom of the line seats out there, but I think this test was flawed from the start - how can you expect something to perform well when you don’t use it right from the start? What do you think? Register and share your opinion >>

Expiration Dates

carseatsafety — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 18:39:43 +0000

Experts say the following about choosing a car seat:

* Don’t buy a used seat. You won’t know if it’s been in an accident, and because the product isn’t registered in your name, you won’t receive recall notices. Also, car seats are printed with an “expiration date” from the manufacturer. That’s because over time (experts say about six years), plastic can dry out and degrade, making seats more prone to cracks. Experts say you should not use a car seat after you’ve been in a moderate to serious crash — that’s because car seats are made to withstand only one serious accident. However, the NHTSA has recently revised its guidelines with respect to minor accidents, and experts now say that if your vehicle was able to drive away, if the airbags did not deploy and if the door nearest the child’s car seat was not damaged, it’s generally safe to keep using your existing car seat.

* Although experts say that three-point harness systems are safe, shoot for an infant car seat with a five-point harness, which has straps for the shoulders, waist, and between the legs. Reviewers say both are safe, but while the three-point harness is easier to use, a five-point belt is more “wiggle-proof.”

* Parents like models with a stay-in-the-car base. That way, you won’t have to wake the baby every time you get into and out of the car. You can also purchase extra base units for additional vehicles; most cost between $35 and $45.

* When purchasing a car seat for infants, avoid seats that come with a shield in front of the harness. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says this can block an infant’s face and make proper harnessing difficult.

* Whichever seat you end up purchasing, check the return policy and keep the receipt until you’re sure the seat is compatible with your vehicle. Not all seats fit perfectly in all cars. The Web site CarSeatData.org offers a “Car seat Compatibility Database” to match up different car models with appropriate car seats.

the car seat nazi - what’s a guy to do?

carseatsafety — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:29:48 +0000

The safety of our children is the most important thing to any parent. After seeing how so many of my friends have installed their car seats incorrectly, I thought it was time to start a site just about car seats and safety info. I have been called the car sear nazi by my wife many times b/c of the way I see things.

It’s just that most people don’t know what the heck they are doing when they install a car seat. When my friend’s seat was installed so lose that I could literally lift the base up and put my arm under it, I had to act and act fast. They were in a desperate situation. I jumped in (literally) and got the seat installed correctly. Not to many guys physically get into the car seat to get the job done I am guessing. That is about what it takes to get the job done right.

This site is just for that - voicing your thoughts and opinions of car seats, what to do, what not to do and what is the best - I hope you will register today and join in the conversation with us - it’s going to be a fun ride I think.