Baby Safety Car Seats

Saturday, December 18th, 2010 at 1:29 pm  
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The importance of using a baby car seats

Author: Bonnie F. Lapointe

The importance of baby car seats

Several years ago, safety in a car was not a big issue. Parents would simply ask their child to hold on firmly to the front seat or to the dashboard, or would hold their babies on their lap in the passenger seat. More children would stand stronger, the safer it was! 30 years ago, using seat belts was mostly not always mandatory, especially for the passengers and study on road safety, well close to unheard of.

Fortunately, today, our society is much more aware of the risks of car traveling and the ways to protect our babies have changed so much. So much indeed that many many parents are even struggling to understand the difference between the vast number of car seats models available on the market.

Buckle up your babies, it’s the law

Car safety for babies and children are now mandatory in many countries : The lack of use of adapted car seats for your babies will lead to a big fine and a few points deduction of your driver’s license.

A lot of countries does not look at the age of the infant anymore, but rather look at the size of the child in a sitting position, which means from the bottom to the top of the head when the child is sitting. This means that a small 7 or 8 years old child could be sitting in the same car seat model as their younger cousin.

Baby car seats

For newborn babies (by definition are babies which weigh below 9 kilos/20 pounds or measure less than 66 centimeters/26 inches), parents have to use a proper baby car seat. In order to do a good job, the baby car seat has to be installed correctly : in the opposite direction to the traffic, in the back seat, to give a better protection to the neck and the chest of the child in the event of a collision or sudden braking. Also, it is recommended that you do not change the way of installing the baby car seat until the child can stand alone, so until about 12 months.

If the car does not come equipped with an airbag on the passenger side and would like to increase your child’s safety, you can use the front seat to install the baby car seat, as long as you make sure to back up the seat as far back as possible. However, if the car is equipped with an airbag on the front right side, the newborn car seat should never be installed at the front.

The seat for babies should be installed at a 45 degrees angle. Your baby should not be completely lying nor completely upright. If the seat can not be inclined to a 45 degrees angle, simply roll a tower and put it under the seat to fix the angle to 45 degrees.

Remember at 50 km per hour or 30 miles per hour, the weight of objects in motion is multiplied by 35! Therefore, when a collision occurs, your 9 kilos/20pounds baby will then weigh 315kilos/700pounds. If not firmly attached to an appropriate seating, your child could be flying to the dashboard or even be ejected from the vehicle!

Therefore, use a proper car seat for you baby, it could save your child’s life in case of accident.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/the-importance-of-using-a-baby-car-seats-985689.html

About the Author

Bonnie F.Lapointe is a freelance writer and has collaborated with many websites to teach about child safety awareness. Find her work at baby travel system.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    Where can I get baby car safety seats online?
    I need car safety seats for my baby.

    • ANSWER:
      www.albeebaby.com
      www.babyuniverse.com
      www.elitecarseats.com
      www.babyage.com
      You can even go with Walmart online, b/c online they have several car seats taht aren’t offered in stores for cheaper than at other places. Amazon and eBay are ok, too, as long as the seat is brand new, with tags attached to the harness.
      sign up with ebates.com for discount at babyuniverse, and check out fatwallet’s site, they offer discounts at different stores, too. Most of the places above offer free shipping as well. And depending upon your child’s current age and size, if your’e in the market for a Britax convertible seat, they’re on sale right now. Britax only allows 2 sales a year, so its a big deal.

      http://www.car-seat.org

  2. QUESTION:
    Where should the baby safety car seat be located, middle or sides of the car, when facing front?

    • ANSWER:
      The middle is safest by far… but having said that, you can put the baby in any position you wish so long as there is an anchor point to attach the seat to.

      When i had one baby she went in the middle forward facing but on the side when rearfacing due to issues with the size of the car.

      When i had two kids the baby was on the side the whole time as well as the older child who was also in a car seat still.

      When i had three kids the newborn capsule went on the side as its hard to get it in the car when its in the middle, but when he went forward facing he went in the middle, with the two older ones in car seats on the sides

  3. QUESTION:
    Where can I rent/hire a baby car seat in Madrid? Are there taxis that offer that service?
    We will be visiting Spain next month and we are traveling with our 8 month old daughter. I need to rent a car seat to use for 7 days. Are there taxi or other transportation services that offer baby safety seats. I’m mainly worried about the trip from the airport to our hotel.

    • ANSWER:
      Being an advid traveller, i prefer to bring my own, i then know what condition the car seat in. every time i rent one it never seems to be in great condition.
      most airlines allow you to transport the car seat for free, and not counted as a piece of luggage

  4. QUESTION:
    where do you find reviews on the safety of car seats and other baby products?

    • ANSWER:
      Hi! Here is a link to Consumer Reports Infant car seat products.. you don’t need to be a member for this part

      http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/baby-toddler/car-seats/infant-car-seat-ratings/ratings-overview.htm

      For other baby products, I google the name of the product + safety test.

      Also, check the reviews on Amazon, Target, Babies R Us… they aren’t “official” but they’ll give you a good idea about how the product functions and if other moms like it.

  5. QUESTION:
    Baby Car Seat Safety – older vehicles? install teather latch?
    I know that vehicles made after 2002 have an anchor for the carseat teather strap….but my vehicle is a 1990 Chrysler Van

    I read somewhere online that dealerships install the anchor latch free of charge….is that true or how much would it cost? Im in Canada

    • ANSWER:
      In Canada, it is a law to have your carseats tethered. Yes, GM will install one tether anchor at no charge…and there is no charge for the hardware. You need to contact your local dealership and they will install it for you. Since it is required in Canada, they MAY be able to install more at no charge.

      Is it a Chrysler Town and Country? You can have TA’s installed outboard, but not in the center and you can have them at all seating locations in the 3rd row. The part number is 05017529AA. That part no. is for all of the seating locations.

      Refer to Technical Service Bulletin 23-08-00 Revision A for details. It is only with certain older models.

  6. QUESTION:
    How should a baby car seat be installed to maximize safety?
    We followed the instructions when installing the car seat, but we want to be sure that it is installed to maximize safety. Can anyone show me, step-by-step, how to properly install a car seat? There is even a gap between the car seat and the back seat of my car, does anyone have any tips for making this as secure as possible?
    Watch me ask my question on Yahoo! Video.
    (http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?&gid=g_178f89d3d9987efabcf31c6fb8364fd6.178f89d3d9987efabcf31c6fb8364fd6&p=yahoo+answers+team&b=1&vid=178f89d3d9987efabcf31c6fb8364fd6.719778 )
    I’m asking this question with a video because I would like to see video answers to my question. I will only be picking my best answer from the responses that include video, so film your answer and upload your video clip here: http://video.yahoo.com/video/upload
    Don’t forget to come back here and post your answer with a link to your video! Click here for full details about video answers: http://answers.yahoo.com/info/video_promo

    • ANSWER:
      Tip 1. Securing your child car safety seat Always install the seat tightly, using your body weight to tighten and fasten the seatbelt. There should be no more than 2.5 cm (1″) of movement of the seat from side to side or forward. Each time you place your child in the car safety seat, give it a tug to make sure it is still secure

      Tip 2. Using tether straps with forward-facing car seats
      The tether strap for a forward-facing child car safety seat must be used. The tether strap is located on the rear of the child car safety seat and has a hook. The hook is designed to attach the strap to the tether anchorage on the vehicle as specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Ensure the tether is only secured to the designated anchorage point(s) in the vehicle as specified by the manufacturer.

      Tip 3. Using Universal Anchorage System (UAS) / LATCH
      All new Canadian vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2002 come with lower universal anchorage points. Consult the vehicle owner’s manual before using the UAS system/LATCH to determine where the anchorage points are located and ensure that the correct method is used as advised by the car seat manufacturer.

      Tip 5. Using harness slots
      Your child car safety seat’s harness straps must be positioned correctly by ensuring they pass through the correct slots.

      Rear-facing child car safety seat harness straps should sit at or below the child’s shoulders.
      Forward-facing child car safety seat harness straps should sit at or above the child’s shoulders.

      Tip 6. Securing your child in the harness
      Ensure that the harness system is snug enough on your child’s chest to allow only one finger width between the strap and the child’s collarbone.

      Tip 7. Positioning your harness straps
      Ensure that harness straps lie flat and they do not twist or fold. Harnesses need to be straightened out each time the child is secured in the seat.

      Tip 8. Adjusting chest clips
      Properly adjust the chest clips on the harness. They should lie flat against the chest and be positioned at armpit level.

      Tip 9. Installing away from active air bags
      Always install child car safety seats away from active air bags. The safest place is in the back seat of a passenger car, sport utility vehicle or light truck and either the second or third row in a mini-van.

      Tip 10. Installing your rear-facing child car safety seat on a proper angle

      Most child car safety seats have a recline position that must be used when in the rear-facing position for an infant (up to 9kg or 20lbs). Check your child car safety seat owner’s manual for instructions. For rear-facing seats, if necessary, use a tightly rolled towel or a foam bar (pool noodle) under the base of the child car safety seat to adjust the angle to 45 degrees. A forward-facing child car safety seat should be in the upright position. Make sure that when the seat is turned from rear-facing to forward-facing, the recline feature is adjusted to the upright position.

      here’s a video*

  7. QUESTION:
    Baby Car Seats Crash Test Information?
    Newborn and Baby
    Consumer Reports Magazine Crash test worries

    In its February 2007 issue, Consumer Reports magazine reported on crash tests it performed to test the safety of car seats. The results were not encouraging.

    Most of the infant car seats tested by Consumer Reports “failed disastrously” in crashes at speeds as low as 56 km/h. The seats came off their bases or twisted in place, the report said. In one case, a test dummy was hurled more than nine metres.

    Of the 12 car seats tested, Consumer Reports said it could recommend only two, and it urged a U.S. federal recall of the poorest performing seat, the Evenflo Discovery, which is not sold in Canada.

    All the car seats passed U.S. standards — but Consumer Reports argues those standards should be raised.

    To be sold in Canada and the United States, an infant seat must perform adequately in a 48 km/h frontal crash, and Consumer Reports found that all but the Discovery did so. But it noted that the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts its crash tests for new cars at higher speeds — 56 km/h for frontal crashes and 61 km/h for side crashes — so the magazine tested the seats at those speeds.

    “It’s unconscionable that infant seats, which are designed to protect the most vulnerable children, aren’t routinely tested the same as new cars,” said Consumer Reports’ Don Mays, a product safety director.

    The only seats that passed all the tests were the Baby Trend Flex-Loc and the Graco SnugRide with EPS — expanded polystyrene foam — both selling for about US. Consumer Reports urged parents shopping for seats to buy one of those two, but it also noted that “any child car seat is better than no seat at all.”

    It also said some seats performed better when attached by vehicle safety belts than when attached with the LATCH system. The system, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, includes belts that hook the base of a car seat to metal anchors in the vehicle.

    Consumer Report Article
    On January 4, 2007, Consumer Reports published a safety alert in the U.S. claiming that most infant car seats failed their new front- and side-crash evaluation tests. The report also claims that of 12 seats tested, only two performed well: the Baby Trend Flex-Loc and the Graco SnugRide with EPS (i.e., expanded polystyrene). Only six of the twelve infant car seat models chosen by Consumer Reports for this testing are officially certified for and marketed in Canada. They are: the Graco SnugRide; the Peg-Perego Primo Viaggio SIP; the Evenflo Embrace V; the Graco SafeSeat; the Safety 1st Designer 22; and the Combi Centre ST.
    Transport Canada wants to reassure the Canadian travelling public that the Department’s collision investigations and data analyses do not support the results obtained by Consumer Reports. When car seats are used correctly, they perform effectively in motor vehicle collisions and child occupants are afforded optimum protection.

    The Department takes the safety of children travelling in vehicles very seriously and is continually working to improve crash protection for children through research, development and enforcement of safety regulations, participation in various national and international committees that work on policy development, and public awareness campaigns.

    • ANSWER:
      Where is the question?

  8. QUESTION:
    two boosters and a baby car seat in a medium sized car?
    I need to fit three kids car seats into my peugeot 307 (two boosters and a baby seat).The problem is that their combined width is greater than the width of the back seat.I have looked around,but most seats seem to be of similiar width.Does anyone know of a slimline range of safety seats?
    I really don’t want to buy a new car to solve this temporary problem
    its not really the seat part which causes the problem,more the styling wings,arms and cup holders which makes the whole thing too wide to fit across a normal car seat.The only solution seems to buy a van like people carrier which are wider than a standard car.There must be a better solution

    • ANSWER:
      John Lewis and Halfords both have good ranges and offer sound adcvice.


My Cousin's Suggestion, The Ultimate Baby Wrap

Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 1:07 pm  
Comments (52)

My cousin and his wife genuinely adore their first infant, an endearing 2 year old daughter and they hardly ever go anywhere without her. My cousin’s wife is more or less a small individual and has a tiny physique and it was actually amusing looking at her while she was pregnant. In any case, after the minor was born, both mom and girl appeared genuinely endearing together specifically when they have some social functions or large reunions to attend to because they incessantly wear coordinated getups. At these times, I speculated if both parents take their infant around every time as I oftentimes see them not employing a carriage about. Plainly, it would be straining to take a minor around all day so I inquired my cousin how they overseen that. However they seldom employed it outdoors, he said that they own a pushchair at home because it’s really cumbersome and it won’t go in the car even if it were closed up. Additionally, he said that they utilize an infant wrap that is truly easy to utilize and effective as well and it’s known as the Ultimate Baby Wrap. Fortuitously, there was a time that they showed it to me in action and I must admit, it’s truly as effective as how they depicted it. I considered it would bury my cousin’s wife if she wore it, looking at the Ultimate Baby Wrap for the first time but surprisingly, it can match whatever body size with its changeable straps. Each really imitating how physical cuddling would be like, it allowed for five different poses to bear an infant and it’s so simple to convert from one pose to another. There will also be no body strains as the load of the kid is evenly dispersed all over a large area with its large cloth panels. Lastly, when it isn’t required it can be quickly folded and stored away in its drawstring bag that comes with it.

For my cousin and his wife, this baby wrap is the nicest and they have been utilizing it even till today which exhibits its usefulness and strength. With a friend of mine waiting for her first baby in about a month from today, I’d surely suggest this baby wrap.

You can find more information about baby wraps at http://theultimatebabywrap.info/the-ultimate-baby-wrap-love-your-baby/, where you can read about The Ultimate Baby Wrap.


Andre writes articles on different fields of interest.
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