Car accident alert: is your infant safe?

If you have a baby, you know the drill:  if you want to take your little one out in the car, you need to have an infant car seat installed.  It’s pretty straightforward, right?  Buckle the seat into the car then buckle the baby into the seat and off you go.  But wait!  Maybe you didn’t quite install that seat correctly, and maybe you’re risking serious injury if you’re involved in a car accident.

Before you defend your impressive car seat installation skills, know that the Department of Transportation estimates that 70% of all car seats are used incorrectly.  That’s a big, big number and could seriously affect the seat’s ability to protect your child if you’re unfortunate enough to be involved in an auto accident.

There are simple steps you can take to check your car seat.  First of all, make sure you read and followed the manufacturer’s instructions.  You’d be surprised how many people just take the seat out to the car and guess how to install it without following the directions.  Then look for a local car seat inspection station to check your seat for you.  These trained professionals know what to look for and can give you tips and advice on using your seat correctly – it’s well worth the trip.

You can read more about infant car seat safety in our law library article, “Focus on Infants: Is Your Child Passenger Safe?”