Child Safety Tips
Q: "Where is the safest place in the vehicle for my
child?"
A: A back seat is the safest place for any child to ride.
Q: "Can I use a Car Seat that has been in a crash?"
A: NEVER use a car seat that has been in a crash. Car seats are
designed to withstand the forces of one crash only.
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Novi Police Officer Sergeant Terry Whitfield
shoots Polaroid photos of kids with the
crash test dummies, Vince and Larry.
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Q: "What is the best car seat to buy my child?"
A: The best car seat is the one that meets your child’s weight/
height/age requirements, is compatible with your vehicle and meets
current FMVSS 213 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard) standard
requirements.
Infants under 1 year of age should:
- Face the rear of the vehicle
- Be semi-reclined
- Be snugly fastened in a car seat in the back seat of the
vehicle
Toddlers between 20 and 40 pounds should:
- Face the front
- Sit upright
- Be snugly fastened in a car seat in the back seat of the
vehicle
Kids between 40 and 60 pounds should:
- Face the front
- Ride in a booster seat used with a lap/shoulder belt
- NEVER place a rear-facing infant in front of an air bag
Q: "At what age and weight should I turn my infant around to face
forward?"
A: An infant should face the rear of the vehicle until he/she is at
least 1 year old and at least 20 lbs. to reduce the risk of cervical
spine injury in the event of a crash.
Q: "Where should my children sit properly restrained in
my vehicle which has a passenger air bag?"
A: The back seat is the safest place to ride for children of any
age. Air bags have been designed to help protect adults in front-end
collision and not children. It is very important that all children
age 12 and under are properly restrained in the back seat. NEVER put
an infant in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger air bag
(unless you have a manual cut-off switch and you have turned it
off!)
Q: "Where can I receive more child passenger safety information?"
A: You can call the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Auto Safety Hotline at
800-424-9393 or visit their website.
Q: "What are the different types/styles of
car seat available?"
A:
- INFANT-ONLY SEAT: Infants up to least one year and less than
20 lbs. (about 26 inches) should be in a rear-facing car seat.
Infant only seats are always used in rear facing position. If an
infant outgrows the weight and height limits before his /her first
birthday, use a convertible seat in the rear-facing position that
has been approved for weight greater than 20 lbs. NEVER place a
rear facing car seat in the front seat of a vehicle with a
passenger air bag (unless you have a manual cut-off switch and you
have turned it off)
- CONVERTIBLE SEAT: Convertible seats should be used for infants
and toddlers between birth and 40 lbs. The convertible seat should
be placed in the rear facing position for an infant, this would be
a child that is from birth to 20 lbs. and to at least 1 year of
age. You can position a convertible seat to forward facing for
toddlers or preschoolers, when they attain 20 lbs. or more and are
at least 1 year of age. They can remain in a convertible seat
generally speaking until about 40 lbs. and about 4 years of age.
Of the three different types of restraint systems (5-point
harness, T-Shield, Tray Shield) the 5-point harness is preferred
because it allows a tighter fit around the child from infant–size
to toddler-size.
FORWARD-FACING SEAT: For toddlers and
preschoolers who are over 1 year of age and over 20 lbs. to about
40 lbs. and about 4 years of age. Some forward facing seats
convert to a belt positioning booster seat by removing the 5-point
harness and using the lap and shoulder safety belt. This forward
facing / belt positioning booster seat may be the best solution
for tall children who have outgrown the convertible seat by the
height requirement (40 inches) and may still be under 40 lbs.- BOOSTER SEAT: The booster seat should be used only for
children who have outgrown the convertible seat or forward facing
seat at 40lbs. / 40 inches, usually 4 years of age. The booster
seat should be used up to 80 lbs. (about 8 years of age) and until
the child can correctly wear both the lap and shoulder safety
belt. There are three types of booster seats:
- Belt Positioning Booster.
- High Back Belt-Positioning Booster.
- Shield Booster.
