Not a day goes by without a child being injured or killed from the improper use of safety restraints. Recent studies show that up to 40 percent of cars fitted with child safety seats are not installed properly for maximum safety and need extra adjustments. Thus, organizations, local and nationwide, are ramping up their efforts to educate parents on proper installation and use of child car seats during Child Passenger Safety Week, September 13-19.
“Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for children under age 13 and having the proper car seat or booster seat can make a big difference in a child’s safety. In 2013, 263 children under age five were saved because they were properly restrained. Car seats matter, and ensuring that children are in the correct car seat, and that it’s properly installed, is critical.”
Rhonda Craft, California Office of Traffic Safety
Buckle Up For Life, a national program to promote child passenger safety, presents the top five myths of car seats – and truth behind them – to help maximize the safety of young passengers.
MYTH #1: Used car seats are always okay.
FACT: Car seats have expiration dates.
Hand-me-downs may be convenient, but when it comes to car seats, they’re not worth the risk. If the seat has been through a crash, it may be compromised. Additionally, the plastic can degrade over time. If you do have a used car seat, know its history and check the expiration date, which can usually be found on a sticker affixed to the seat and on the registration card.
MYTH #2: Older kids can sit in the front seat.
FACT: Kids under 13 are safest in the back.
Many think that once their children outgrow their car seats or booster seats, the front seat is fair game. However, the truth is that all children under age 13 are safest in the back seat.
MYTH #3: Seat belts alone protect small children.
FACT: Children shorter than 4’9” need booster seats.
Seat belts don’t properly fit young children and can ride up around their waists or necks, potentially causing injury during a crash. Children under 4’9” should sit in booster seats, which elevate them so that seat belts can protect them correctly.
MYTH #4: A one year old can ride in a forward-facing car seat.
FACT: Children should be rear-facing until age two.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should remain in rear-facing car seats until age two, or until they exceed the height or weight limit for the car seat. According to a study by the University of Virginia, children under age two are 75 percent less likely to die or to be severely injured in a crash if they are rear-facing.
MYTH #5: Expensive car seats are safer than others.
FACT: All approved car seats are equally safe.
All car seat manufacturers are required to meet the same performance standards issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Some seats may be more expensive than others based on fabric, padding or other bells and whistles, but that doesn’t mean they are any safer.
**Source: Toyota Motor Co.
Here are some tips to maximize the safety of young passengers:
- Visit a local Child Car Seat Inspection Station where a certified technician will inspect the child car seat and can show correct installation and use. To find a local inspection station, contact your local California Highway Patrol office or use the Child Car Seat Inspection Station Locator at http://www.safercar.gov/.
- To maximize safety, keep the child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
- Always refer to the specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions; read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt and check height and weight limits.
- Always remember to register the car seat and booster seat with the car seat manufacturer so there is notification in the event of a recall.
- Car seats should always be replaced following a moderate or severe crash to ensure the highest level of crash protection.
Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center partnered in 2004 to create Buckle Up for Life, a national education program for families to help keep child passengers safe. The program teaches parents and children about the proper use of car seats and seat belts and provides free car seats to families in need. Through partnerships with the leading children’s hospitals in the country, Buckle Up For Life has reached more than 23,000 people in 14 cities. Toyota’s sponsorship has provided funding for over 40,000 car seats for families in need.
About Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center ranks third in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 Best Children’s Hospitals. It is also ranked in the top 10 for all 10 pediatric specialties. Cincinnati Children’s, a non-profit organization, is one of the top three recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and a research and teaching affiliate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The medical center is internationally recognized for improving child health and transforming delivery of care through fully integrated, globally recognized research, education and innovation. Additional information can be found at http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/. Connect on the Cincinnati Children’s blog, via Facebook and on Twitter.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world’s top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we’ve built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 40,000 people (more than 32,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.5 million cars and trucks (more than 2.2 million in the U.S.) in 2013 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. As part of this commitment, we share the company’s extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota, visit http://www.toyotanewsroom.com/.
