Keep your child safe while riding in the car!

Jan. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- For several reasons, the safest place for your child to ride is in the backseat.  Child safety advocate, Michael Pouls, reminds us that, “if a child - especially one 12 years or younger, or slight of build - is riding in the front seat and the airbag is deployed, the airbag itself can cause severe injuries to the child.  Avoid this possibility by driving with your child safe and secure in the back seat!”  

Don’t forget to select the proper car seat, then make sure you use it correctly.  Select a car seat that is appropriate for your child’s weight and height.  Infants should face the rear of the car until they are at least one year of age plus weight at least 20 pounds, at which time they can be transitioned to a forward facing position.  Once a child reaches 40 pounds, you may consider using a booster seat together with the car’s lap/should belt, instead of a car seat.

Once you have identified the proper seat, make sure you use it properly.  Make sure the car seat’s latch system (plus the tether, if possible) is used to lock the car seat into position, so that the seat cannot be rocked more than an inch in any direction.  Next, the shoulder harnesses should be positioned so that they are even with, or slightly higher than, the child’s shoulders.  Keep the straps secure and tight, so that you can only slip one finger between the child and the harness.   Additionally, position the center clasp (if applicable) so that it is at chest level.  

“While it’s very important to follow the protocol’s included with your specific car seat, there is another child safety rule that also must never be ignored, “says Michael Pouls, “Never, ever, leave a child in the car unattended, whether he or she is in the car seat or not!”  For more child safety information, please log onto www.MichaelPouls.info.