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Hey Moms: September 12 is National Seat Check Saturday, and marks the beginning of a week dedicated to child passenger safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly, exposing children to unnecessary risk of injury or death in a crash.
The LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system was developed to help make it easier to correctly install child safety seats. The LATCH systems uses anchors instead of the seat belt to secure the child safety seat in the car, and a top tether firmly holds the top of the seat into place for added safety. When used correctly, both seat belts and LATCH are equally safe to use to secure child safety seats. However, the LATCH system makes it easier to correctly install the child safety seat.Nearly all vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2002, have LATCH anchors between the seat cushion and seat back as well as a top tether anchor in at least two rear seat positions. Most vehicles have at two sets of anchors in the back seat, though larger vehicles often offer additional positions. All child safety seats manufactured in the United States after September 2002 come with the attachment straps necessary to use the LATCH system.
Inspection stations around the United States are standing by for parents to bring their cars in on Seat Check Saturday so that all car seat installations can be explained and demonstrated in person. Click here to find the inspection station nearest to you. Please share this information with all the caregivers in your family. This is the perfect way to ensure that Grandma and Grandpa, Aunties, and babysitters are installing the seat properly when caring for your beloved children. It doesn't matter whether you're a new parent checking on your newborn's seat, or a veteran with older kids in boosters, this is the perfect opportunity to ensure you're doing it properly and keeping your treasures safe in the car. At AskPatty, we know of one mom who was actually using her backseat armrest of her Toyota 4Runner as a booster seat for her six-year-old daughter. How stupid is that?If you want to find out more about child seat safety, then click to watch this informative video which features a question/answer format with a NHTSA official explaining the importance of the LATCH system for child safety - and provides links for the nearest installation centers.
The best seating position and type of seat depends on your child's age, height, weight, and the type of vehicle you have. Find our more about how to secure your most precious cargo here at www.nhtsa.gov
Check out these other important Child Car Seat Safety links as well:
childcarsafety.adcouncil.org
Follow @childseatsafety on Twitter.com
Connect at facebook
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Answering New Questions on Booster Seat Safety at AskPatty.com Jody DeVere
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