Car Safety for Kids For parents, nothing is more important than the safety of their children. Certainly you should think about and plan for the safety of your children on the road. Read on to learn how you can help make your kids as safe as they can be in the car.

Car Seats

Toddlers between 20 and 40 lbs should be seated in the backseat in a forward facing safety seat for toddlers. For infants, use a rear facing safety seat. Under no circumstances, should a rear facing safety seat be placed in the front seat.

Most parents know that children under a certain age should ride in a car seat whenever they ride in a car. But many parents don't take the time to learn how to properly install and use car seats. Studies have shown that over 85% of child safety seats are improperly used and close to 90% of them are improperly installed. Part of the problem has been the many different types of car seats that manufacturers brought on the market.

TO MAKE SURE YOUR CAR SAFETY SEAT IS INSTALLED PROPERLY, CAREFULLY FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS.

The seats should always be installed in the backseat of the car. Make sure the base of the safety seat fits snugly and securely on your car's seat and in the belts, with only about an inch of give. Compact cars will generally need a car seat with a smaller base than larger cars. Also, there should only be an inch gap between the harness and the child's collarbone.

Many local fire and police departments, as well as hospitals, will inspect your child safety seat for free. If at all possible, take advantage of this service to ensure your seat is installed properly.
If your car seat has been through a car accident, you should have the car seat replaced. It may not be able to withstand another accident.

Beyond Car Seats

Child car safety includes more than just safe car seats. Here are more valuable child safety tips:

		Children over the age of 12 and over 80 pounds should always wear a lap/shoulder belt. This shoulder belt should never be placed behind the back or under the arm. If the shoulder belt is rubbing or uncomfortably positioned under the neck, then you may want to use a chest clip at the armpit.
		For children between 40 and 80 lbs, always use a booster seat. This will also minimize the possibility of improper placement of the shoulder belt.
		Teach your kids to behave when you're driving. They shouldn't distract your attention from the road. If children in your car start to fight or bicker, pull over. Backseat distractions are often a cause of car accidents.
		Children should always ride in the backseat. This is to help protect them from the impact of head-on collisions and from airbags, which can be dangerous or even deadly for children.
		Never let your children lie down in the backseat, even when belted in. Seat belts do not restrain passengers properly unless passengers are seated in an upright manner and snugly belted.
		Don't allow children to play with the handles and knobs on the doors. Keep all doors locked at all times and keep power windows closed and locked, too. Use child safety locks on rear doors if they are available on your vehicle.
		Never use one belt to buckle in two children.