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Preventing Kansas City Car Crash Injuries Part 2: Car Seat Installation Tips

A properly installed car seat is your child's best protection in the event of a Kansas City car accident. However, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as many as 85 percent of all car seats are not properly installed. The Kansas City car crash injury lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys offer these tips for making sure your child's rear-facing car seat is safely installed and properly adjusted.

Installation tips for rear-facing seats:

• If you are using a used car seat, check the expiration date. The plastic in car seats degrades over time, and the car seat may shatter in an accident.
  
• Install the car seat in the back seat of your vehicle.
• Never place a rear-facing car safety seat in the front seat. If the air bag inflates, it will hit the back of the car safety seat and the baby's head. Air bags can cause serious injury or death.
• Install the seat according to the manufacturer's instructions. If it is a convertible or 3-in-1 seat, make sure you are using the correct belt path.
• Make sure the seat is installed at the correct angle (usually 45 degrees) so your baby's head does not flop forward. Your seat may have an angle indicator or adjuster that will help keep it at the right angle. In some cases, you may need to tilt the car seat by putting a rolled towel or pool noodle under the base of the seat where the back and bottom of the vehicle seat meet.
• After installing the car seat, give it a good jiggle. It should not more than an inch side to side or front to back. If it does, the installation is not tight enough.
• If you are using a seat belt to install your car seat, know what type of seat belts your vehicle has. Older vehicles may need locking clips to keep the seat belt locked into position. Most newer cars have car seat (LATCH) anchors.
• The harnesses in your rear-facing car seat should be located in slots that are at or below your baby's shoulders.
• When your child is in the seat, the harness clip should be positioned at the mid-chest level, just under the armpits.
• The straps should fit snugly.

Installation tips for forward-facing seats:

• The shoulder straps should be in slots that are at or above your child's shoulders.
• You may have to change the angle of the seat. Check your car seat's instructions.
• If you are using a seat belt to install the car seat, make sure the seat belt runs through the forward-facing belt path. If you are using the LATCH system, make sure the tether strap is anchored to your vehicle.

Installation tips for belt-positioning booster seats:

• Belt-positioning booster seats must be used with both a lap and shoulder belt.
• The lap belt should lie low and snug across your child's upper thighs.
• The shoulder belt should cross the middle of your child's chest and shoulder. It should not cross the child's neck.

If you are having trouble installing a car seat, contact your local police, fire station, or hospital. They may have a certified child passenger safety (CPS) technician who can help.

If your child is injured in a Missouri car crash, the Kansas City car crash injury lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys can help. Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys at 888-348-2616 to learn more or to schedule a free case evaluation.

To learn more about the rights of Missouri accident victims, download a free copy of "10 Essential Steps You Must Take To Protect Your Injury Claim."

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