Car Seat Safety Tips

General Tips

Choosing the correct car seat (child restraint) is an important part of keeping your child safe. All car seats are different; some will fit your child better than others. Some seats will fit in your vehicle and others will not. Before buying or hiring a car seats always check that it fits firmly into your vehicle

For your children to be safe the car seat needs to be fitted correctly. Always read the manufacturer's instruction & contact your nearest Baby On The Move representative who are Safe2Go trained and will show you how to install your car seat correctly.

Do not put a car seat in the front seat if the vehicle has an airbag. If you have no choice but to put an older child in the front always ensure the seat is pulled as far away from the airbag as possible or disable the airbag. Never put a rear facing seat in the front with an airbag.

Remember the back seat is always safer.

A locking clip needs to be used if you only have emergency locking seat belts. The locking clip should be applied within 2 cm of the latch to prevent any gradual loosing of the seat belt. I always say if you can get the locking clip on the seat belt while it's done up it's not tight enough.

When installing the car seat put some weight into the seat and pull the seat belt as tight as possible. While holding the tension release the seat belt latch, then apply the locking clip. To do up the latch you will again need to apply some weight to the car seat.

If you have static seat belts (ie lap belt) or automatic locking seat belts the locking clip is not required. Remember also apply some weight to the seat to ensure it is tight and don't forget to activate the seat belt so it locks.

If your back vehicle car seats are sloped (ie bucket seats), use a tightly rolled-up towel to place in the bite of the vehicle seat, this will prop up the car seat when rear facing and stop baby's head from flopping forward. If you can't get a firm fit please contact your local Baby On The Move Safe2Go representative for professional advice.

If a car seat is fitted with a tether strap it must be used.

If borrowing a car seat or buying second hand, always have it safety checked for age, damage to the plastic, fraying of harness, cracked or rusted buckles. If no instruction booklet is provided, you will be able to locate many of these on line or contact your local Baby On The Move Safe2Go representative who will show you the correct installation. 

There are 3 car seat stages your child will go through. There are some seats that will overlap these stages. Always remember, every seat is different. Each will have specific weight and height restrictions, as well as an expiry date. Always be aware of these details.

Birth to 1 Year

Babies are far safer and better protected in a rear facing car seat until they are at least 1 year of age. You can rear face your baby longer than 1 year if your car seat instruction allow it.

Baby Capsules with or without bases (these only rear face from birth to between 9kg & 13kg).

Capsules are an easy way to get baby in and out of the vehicle, but again remember to check the seat fits in your vehicle before purchasing or renting. From our experience many vehicle seat belts do not fit around capsules without bases. If the seat belt does not fit and the manufactures instructions say the seat belt must go around the head part of the capsule then you only have two options; either replace your seat belt or get another car seat.

Capsules with bases, require the base to be installed firmly into the vehicle by using the car seat belt. The capsule clicks in and out of the base which makes it simple and easy to use. The bases do require a locking clip unless one is already attached to the base.

Also available are Toddler Convertible seats which go rear facing and forward to a specified weight. Some of our car seats rear face to as high as 25kg and others as little as 9kg. Some babies reach 9kg as early as 6 months of age, so always bear this in mind when upgrading your car seat.

Tips

• If the seat has a chest clip - use it. As a guide make sure it's level with the babies armpit. This ensures the chest clip is not to high or low on baby when fitted.
• Make sure the harness fits snugly, you should only be able to fit one finger between the harness and your baby.
• Make sure your baby is not wrapped in a blanket when fitting into the car seat. The harness has to be fitted firm against baby and blankets tucked in over top.
• When rear facing the harness straps should be at shoulder height or just below.
• Babies have out grown the car seat when they have either reached the recommended weight or there eyes & ears are level with the top of the car seat.

Age 1 to 18kg (approx 4 to 5 years)

There are a number of seats available for this stage which have inbuilt harnesses up to 18kg. A number of these seats also turn into booster seats. Again you need to know the weight specifications of your seat.

The harnesses should be at shoulder height or just above. 

Your child will outgrow this stage when they either excess the specified weight or there eyes are in line with the top of this seat.

Booster Seats 15kg + (approx 4 years +)

Your child is only safe to come out of a booster seat when you can answer Yes to all of the following questions:

1. Does the vehicle seat belt cross over your child's shoulder (between the neck & arm)?
2. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
3. Does your child sit all the way back in the vehicles seat?
4. Do your child's knees bend comfortable over the vehicles seats?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip

When choosing a booster seat you need to make sure the seat;

1. Puts your child into the correct position for the seat belt to go over there shoulder
2. The lap belt fits firmly over the leg/hip area (the lap belt should never be over there stomach area)
3. Your child is comfortable
4. The seat fits your car

Never use a booster with only the lap belt. If you have no option but need to use a child harness which tether bolts into the rear of your vehicle and is held down over your child by the lap belt. Again this needs to fit firmly, and the lap belt should never go across your child's stomach area. These harnesses go up to 26kg in conjunction with a booster seat and 32kg without a booster seat.

If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact your nearest Baby On The Move Safe2Go trained representative - PH 0800 222 966

Further information please visit: www.childrestraintsafety.com