Experts say most car seats incorrectly installed

Published 6:15 am Friday, September 28, 2018

Every day across Limestone County, parents ferry their children to and from school, to dance class and sports practice, to day care and Dollar General, and they do it with car seats and boosters. Yet, research shows nearly half of all car seats are installed incorrectly, rendering them nearly ineffective.

To help parents navigate the complex world of car seat use and installation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is sponsoring Child Safety Passenger Safety Week through Saturday, Sept. 29. The goal is to make sure children are in the correct car seat, that the seat is properly installed and used, and that it’s registered with the manufacturer to ensure parents receive important safety updates and recalls.

Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children, killing 3,268 under age 13 between 2012 – 2016. More than one-third of those children were not buckled in at all.

If used properly, car seats save lives. A properly installed car seat can reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash by 71 percent in infants and 54 percent in toddlers.

With so much riding on a properly installed car seat, Alabama State Trooper Chuck Daniel said it’s the parent’s responsibility to do their homework and make sure their child is secured properly during all stages of childhood.

The reality, however, is that most child-restraint devices on the road today are not installed correctly, said Daniel, who estimates eight of every 10 car seats he checks are improperly installed. After responding to several deadly car crashes involving children who were not properly restrained during his 15 years in law enforcement, the trooper makes it a practice to ask drivers he has pulled over during a traffic stop if he can make sure their child’s seat is installed properly.

“What we want is parents to understand that it is not okay to be half-secured,” he said. “The crashes I have worked where children have been killed, one was unrestrained but the rest were killed because they were not properly restrained.”

In addition to improperly installing car seats, Daniel said he sees parents making other critical errors that could kill their children. During traffic stops, he often finds children in boosters who have slipped the shoulder strap portion of the seat belt behind them, a dangerous practice that greatly reduces the effectiveness of both the seat belt and the seat. Often, he discovers a car seat’s straps and harnesses are not positioned over the baby correctly, which greatly reduces the efficacy of the safety device. Another big problem, he said, is young children riding in the front seat of the car. According to www.safekids.org, children under age 13 should always sit in the back seat of a vehicle.

“To properly restrain your child is to love them,” Daniel said. “It’s continuing education for the parent to consult the car seat owner’s manual and learn how their child’s seat is supposed to work as they grow.”

As children transition from one type of seat to another, Daniel said parents sometimes become less vigilant about making sure their children are buckled up properly.

“When you are moving down the road, you need to stay vigilant,” he said. “You can’t be distracted by texting or the radio. You need to be constantly watching to make sure your child isn’t unbuckling their seat belt or wiggling out of their restraints.”

Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson said he understands that car seats can be difficult to install, especially in older vehicles.

“That is why it is important for parents to not only look at the car seat manual but also their vehicle’s owner’s manual when installing a car seat,” he said. “A lot of older vehicles lack the anchors required for the seat’s tethering system, while newer vehicles often have back seat side airbags that effect car seat placement.”

Daniel said children learn by example.

“They will do what mom and dad do, so we have to set a good example by creating good safety habits when they are young. Remember, they will be driving on their own one day,” he said

Parents who would like to have their child’s car seat checked can make an appointment with a National Child Passenger Safety-certified officer at Athens Police Department by calling 256-233-8700.

This Saturday, Safe Kids Huntsville will hold a car seat checkup from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Huntsville Hospital Medical Mall, 1963 Memorial Parkway.