Car Seats: The Law vs. Safety

Cheryl - posted on 10/13/2012

i totally agree safety should be the first thing that matters when it comes to children especially in cars and i would say something to my friends if there kids werent straped in properly its common sence to make sure kids are safe no matter what i get angry with myself if i noticed my son isnt in is car seat properly and i would pull over and fix it but i make sure its all safe before i leave the house no matter what no matter how good of a driver you are there are still idiots who drive like thay dont care about themselfes or others

Ashley - posted on 05/10/2010

I am trying to write this nicely... it really disgusts me when people don't take advantage of FREE professional help from Firehalls and healthcare centres. Thankfully my boyfriend is someone who cares and actually went without my knowledge to the firehall to learn how to properly install teh car seat. It takes 10 mins to learn! and an instant to be grateful you did it! I have seen parents in the back seat holding a child/infant. I have seen news stories where children have been killed and it was b/c someone didn't take the time to be proactive! like some moms on here I have told mothers that they are doing it wrong... I hope more parents get the help they need.

Mellanie - posted on 05/10/2010

I have very strong feelings about children being in the correct seat and it being installed properly, as well as them being buckled into it. I actually called the local law enforcement during the first month of school this year because I was noticing that a lot of the parents would drive off and down the street with their child not buckled or even in their chair. That brought a lot of revenue in for our county :) but there is absolutely NO reason for that to have to happen.

Christy - posted on 05/10/2010

I totally agree with you. It absolutely PISSES me off the lack of idk what to call it that some parents have. You say you love your child but how much? I mean you are here to protect that child who hasn't required there brain yet for safety themselves. My baby was in the NICU and in order to go home he had to pass a car seat test, they strapped him in so tight I didn't think he could breath however I new he was VERY very safe! I always pull his straps really tight a lot of people giggle at me and say I think he's tight enough but in my mind its still not tight enough. When my husband straps him in I even check how tight he is then and pull it tighter. I also when clicking his car seat into the base I double check that its clicked because I saw a movie once where it wasn't in place and the seat become detached in a crash and the baby died. I know SO many parents who don't use the bases and while I'm sure it maybe just as safe either way I don't feel it is. They wouldn't make the base if it was suppose to be used without it. My Chicco you can't even use it without the base unless you take off the whole car seat cover and I like that it completely takes that option away. I know some parents who put there baby in the car seat or buster seat and then they don't seat belt them or strap them, I JUST DON'T GET IT! I know things can happen that are out of my control, you do your best and let God do the rest. However, God gave us brains to use them and I think people just don't use them!!

Michelle - posted on 05/09/2010

By law you can get a felonie for not having kids of the fight weight and so forth buckled in ex.. so ppl should be very serious about that! It called child endangerment ppl!

Tasha - posted on 05/09/2010

I agree with you for sure... I always make sure that the base of my son's car seat doesnt move and if it does my husband has to restrap it lol and i make sure that he doesnt move when the seat is in there .. My son is 6 months old now and weighs 20lbs.. so his doctor said we needed to start looking at other car seats becuase Indiana state law is weight limit for the infant car seats are 20lbs but you have to be a year old to be in a front facing car seat.. so we had to go buy a new one so that he could still sit in the rear facing way but one that could also be turned around when he was tall enough or old enough to be in a front facing car seat.... I took for ever trying to decide on one that i was going to get.. i read reviews from past customers.. and did research on line about the seats it was between the myride 65 and the new air ride w/ the "air bags" if you watn to call them that on the side of the head rest to help support during a side impact... I am very very very cautious about the car seats im going to buy and I put my son it!!

Kerri - posted on 05/09/2010

I absolutely agree with you i am always concerned for my childrens safety As well as for many others children. I have seen many moms and dads driving around where i live with toddlers as young as 1 year not even in a carseat or a seat belt on, and many of them sittin in the front seat. makes me sick thinking that at any given time there could be a wreck and those very young children could lose their life as a result of their parents laziness or lack of concern for their child!

Laura - posted on 05/09/2010

I kept my daughter rear face until she was 16 months old. She's small for her age in both height and weight (but perfectly proportioned. My family and my husbands are all short). Besides, the seat I have could rear face to 35lbs, and it's actually safer to keep them rear faced longer. They can sit quite comfortably cross legged and thus won't break their legs. In fact, even now that's she front faced she would rather have her legs crossed on her seat!

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseat...

Jennifer - posted on 05/09/2010

I agree with Rhiannon. I too do not understand why some parents think that it is OK for their child/ children to be in an unsafe carseat! Makes me want to scream! But my 2 yr old loves her carseat! I have picts of her playing in it and sleeping in it but all of the picts are when her carseat is inside our house

Renee - posted on 05/08/2010

I TOTALLY agree with you!!! I used to be a car seat instructor. I taught professionals and parents how to PROPERLY use a car set. It is amazing how many people don't know that they are doing something wrong and those that know it is not correct but just don't care or are too lazy to fix it.

Jackie - posted on 05/08/2010

In my home town I see people that dont even use car seats all the time. My son doesnt go anywhere without a carseat. The local health department here will check your carseat for proper instaltion so each time I have gotten a new car seat such as the infant carrier to the big seat, I have went to them to have it properly adjusted. I make sure to buckle him and and then I tug on the straps to be sure theyre secure and tight enough. If anything happened to him because of my lack of care when putting him in his seat I wouldnt care to go on living anymore.

Christina - posted on 05/08/2010

I agree with you 100%. I, too, see parents who don't properly buckle their children in their car seats and it infuriates me. To be honest, I see some parents who don't even sure car seats for their kids, they just hold them on their lap. Parents need to be properly educated in car seat safety. I feel every parent should be required to take a class on proper car seat safety before they have a baby. Thanks for posting this. I'm glad I'm not the only parent who shares these concerns! :)

Sheena - posted on 05/08/2010

i totally agree.. im always pointing out to people that there child isnt properly strapped in.. some people think im being rude but really im just trying to make sure i get to see there kid again in the future... also when i go to school i leave my son at home (hes 4 months old now) n everytime im driving to school im almost hit by other cars.. im a VERY good driver yet i swear people r just giving licenses away to any one who wants one.. all i think about is i need to make sure i get home to my son safely.. yet the other drivers r thinking o i can make it through this yellow light... its so annoying because im always worrying that something might happen on my ride to school.. driving shouldnt be something that makes u get stressed out over.. u shouldnt have to think "this could be the last time i get in my car"... i believe my car seat is properly installed but im always worrying that it isnt so i want to get it checked out but i keep forgetting.. which is really making me get upset because its my son i need to make sure hes safe... actually im going to do that now! :)

Carina - posted on 05/08/2010

i 100% agree, even though i must admit that i don't always have them buckled properly. like they are buckled and the seat is in the car properly but sometimes their straps may be too loose or twisted. but now reading your story and to hear how lucky you and your child were i think i am going to pay more attention to how they are buckled. thank-you for sharing your story.

Jessica - posted on 05/07/2010

I HATE when ppl don't have their kids buckled. Makes me soooo mad. They can be driving down the interstate (I-40, the one all of the big wreckless driving semi's take) with their infant in their lap! ugggghhh!!! I always honk and yell through the window. They're the ones you see on the news later fallin out all over the ground sayin "they kilt, my babay!" I just wanna say... "noooo you did you friggin idiot!" Grrr!

Anyways... My daughter is still rear-facing until her 1st bday. And YES I know 2 yrs is safer blah... and I'm all about safety, but you have NOOOOO idea how hot she is back there! I have a toyota corolla and she has an evenflo/safety 1st alpha omega elite convertible seat... that thing completely blocks the air vents to the back. I have to ride with the windows down rain or shine b/c she pours buckets of sweat. When she was brand new last summer she sweat in her baby seat. (granted people are notoriously crappy drivers around here, so I wasn't about to turn her!) Newborns aren't supposed to have sweat glands yet... The doc couldn't believe how bad she was sweating. On her 1st bday I'm going to turn her to face the front. Maybe during the winter I will persuade her to turn to the back again. It pretty much stays hot from end of march to late october into november.

oh... I always left the bar on the babyseat up to create the "roll-bar" effect as well. I didn't read it in the manual, I just thought it made sense. :-)

Jessica - posted on 05/07/2010

it annoys me when people do not do extended rear-facing!! "oh my baby is a year old now, this means i can turn her around!!"

um, yeah, you can... but it's not safe!!

Trina - posted on 05/07/2010

Actually there have been no cases of leg injuries reported from rear facing a child for an extended period of time. The truth of the matter is that little legs are much easier to repair than a snapped spinal column. Most people do not know that forward facing too soon is so dangerous because a small child is just not well developed enough to support themselves in an accident.Their larger head and small bodies are just not able to withstand such an impact. Instead the g-force thrusts the child who is forward facing with verocity and speed. The impact can literally internally decapitate a child. I know that is probably a horrible way for me to say what happens, but it is the truth. The spinal column becomes stretched to its limits, and it cannot withstand that. As adults most of us have the advantage of at least having muscle development to support for skeletal structures. Kiddo's just don't have that. This video in particular show what happens when a child rear faces too soon.

Rear facing as long as possible saves lives. We were in near head on collison when my child was 6 months old. A drunk and high guy sped off the autobahn and hit us. Our front windsheild shattered, and I was injured from our airbag. My child was fine though, because he was rear facing in his infant seat in the middle. His seat was like a rock. So never ever underestimate the possibilities, and while we never want to expect the worst, count a good car seat, properly installed, and rear facing as long as possible as insurance for your little ones safety. It is a small price to pay to protect a life.



Our car seat law is the minimum for safety. It is not the maximum of what is safe for a child. In other countries the law has been changed to reflect the importance of rear facing as long as possible. Here in the US we often lag behind . :(

Heather - posted on 05/07/2010

kayty I agree, my pediatrician aprooved me to turn my son around at 8 months, and I had to get a letter from his office to keep in my glove box! Now they are recommending staying rear facing until a convertable car seat hits its height/weight limit to be rear facing which would mean 2-3 years for most kids! My neice is 2 1/2 still rear facing and her knees are at her cheast, she would be more injured in a wreck but her parents are determined to keep her rear facing until she hits that height/weight limit. I would have a screaming child the entire time if he was still rear facing

Kayty - posted on 05/07/2010

Parents who are just lazy and don't take the time to strap their children in are just stupid. My father has a 3 yr old and they don't buckle her in right they just buckle the straps across the chest. This anoys the crap out of me because she can get out of it with the top strap only and has! They got pulled over once for her getting out and standing on the seat and playing. But at the same time some of the laws aren't right. How you're suppose to have the seat rear facign until their 1. My daughter is tall she's been front facing since she was 7 mo. Because if we were to get in a wreck she'd be more likely to get hurt from her legs being bunched up. I always buckle her in right and have the seat installed right. I just think that rear facing until their 1 is wrong.

Sheryl - posted on 05/07/2010

i do agree safety is important. but we are also are human and some times do make mistakes cause we are in a rush! plus, i do buy the $30 car seats. i don't buy reused. just because it $30 does not make it a bad car seat. sometime there better then the once that cost more. so please don't knock them like there not all bad. cause there not. its not just all on the car seat it's also the car and if it has the right things to huck things up right. yes it would be bad if they are not blucked up right and got in add. but i guess i look at it this way at least the parents did try. even though it may not be right all the way. cause there are parent who don't even do that. but that just the way i see it.

Stephanie - posted on 05/07/2010

I do agree that there should be more ways to educate the public about car seat safety. I have seen a commercial about keeping your child in a booster seat until they are taller than 4 foot 9in. But I have never seen anything about all differant types of car seat and how to safely use them. But I just think as parents it our responsibility (if we care about our kids) to do some research.

Stephanie - posted on 05/07/2010

I am glad to see that all of you have to same concerns that I do. I agree about craigslist, people are always looking to get things for nothing so they buy car seats for $20-30 and never worry if it's been in a wreck or how old the seat is. I understand that people want to sell their infant car seats since they spend so much on them and then only use them for a year. I feel the same way but it just isn't safe. I recommend just finding a safe car seat for the 1st year and then spend a little more for a good toddler/boaster combo seat that will last until they are no longer in need of a car seat. I don't think that saving $20 is worth you child's safety and plus if you can't simply afford one most hospitals and fire dept. can provide you will one for free. My daughter was using a Evenflo infant car seat when we had our wreck. I called to company and they said that the car seat should be thrown out and that I needed to cut the straps so that no one could pull it out of the trash and use it. You couldn't look at this seat and tell that it had been in a wreck, it looked brand new(it had only been used for those 3 months) That's the problem with buying used you can't trust strangers to be completely honest with you, they just want to make a sell.

Valerie - posted on 05/07/2010

Ignorance (lack of information and understanding) is frequently the problem along with the fact that many of these seats are complicated to use properly. You are very sensitive and in tune because of your personal experience...i would make a video and share here and on you tube to educate the public....i believe that we are responsible for what we know and you know something about this topic...so get the word out with your story and perhaps even contact car seat companies and see if they want to make a commercial or something out of your experience to educate the public...as i think about this, when do we ever see car seat commercials...don't you think they would want to help educate. i certainly think they should..al the best

Jytte-Marie - posted on 05/07/2010

Heather: the point I was making was "oh this car seat is $30. awesome. we're buying it" and not have looked up ANYTHING on it. Just bought because it was "cheap"
Hence the quality.
But not all items have to be expensive to have quality either, that is true.

Sarah - posted on 05/07/2010

my other pet peeve is that people say that the infant rear facing seat is supposed to be forward facing because it has a hood on it so you put it up to prevent glass shattering on baby if you crash.. yes someone from work actually said this to me when i took my son when he was tiny to her's .. thats what she got told my the shop she bought it from ... i stuck my son in the correct way .. rear facing like its called an infant REAR facing seat.

Heather - posted on 05/07/2010

Um my carseat manual recommended to leave the handle up not down. Because it basically created a "roll bar" if the seat some how got loose in a crash so they baby wouldnt be pressed into something else and suffocated. So yes read the manual before use for YOUR carseat dont assume all are the same!



I have to agree its frustrating to see I did patient check-in in an ER for close to a year, and more babies were hurt in minor accident because of not being properly strapped in, and more babies were saved in major accidents because of their car seat.



Cost has nothing to do with how safe a car seat is, I have seen better ratings on an $80 vs a $300 car seat

Jen - posted on 05/07/2010

First of all I'm glad you and your daughter are alright. Second I completely agree. I think a lot of parents only use car seats because the law requires them too, but then there are those who don't use them even though the law requires them. I think that car seat safety isn't given as much attention as it should. I think it should be posted more and for parents to be required to take a class about car seat safety before having a baby. I know it is somewhat taught at child birth class and that the hospital has to see you put the child in a car seat before leaving the hospital, but then what. The child outgrows the infant seat and the parent doesn't know what seat they go in next. Too many parents are uneducated and therefore the children are put in danger. I have a friend who has both her 2.5 year old and almost 4 year old in no back boosters. I think it is so unsafe, and she just says that she got tired of them kicking her seat. My daughter is going to be in her car seat for at least another year or so because she is only 28 lbs. Then she'll go to a high back booster until I feel that she's tall enough and ready for a no back booster.

Betty - posted on 05/07/2010

My pet peeve is seeing people with the handle up on the infant seats. When you are driving it's supposed to be down because if the car bumps around a lot during a crash your baby can crush his head against it. OUCH!
Read the manual before use!

Jytte-Marie - posted on 05/07/2010

I agree.
And what I find angers me the most, are the ones who don't even bother to find out if a car seat is safe or not.
They buy by the price, and not by the quality.
It should also be known, that licensing/legally states (In BC at least) that you cannot have a car seat that is older than 5 years.
Reasons: the safety warranty is only valid of 5 years, wear and tear, and is considered more of an endangerment to children.
yet, I see SO many people buy 10+ year old car seats on craigslist, kid swap, etc... and I'm sorry, we can all appreciate a good deal.. but at what? The price of a life?

somethings should not be purchased used, and I feel car seats are one of them.

I think if a child is in a car seat, it should always be strapped, regardless of it being in motion or not.
A car can swerve off the road, and hit your car and your baby would just FLY out of the seat.
Doesn't happen all the time, but it doesn't need to to make it a tragedy

Anna - posted on 05/06/2010

Im a NUT about car seats. My husband and I showed all the in-laws how to properly strap the baby in and how it should be anchored in the car. Safety is our #1 concern and I dont know what I would do if my daughter ws ever hurt in an accident bc I didn't have her safe and secure. And its not just my kid, I have 3 nieces and nephews that use car seats and Im just as causious with them. I agree, some people need to be just a tad bit moe careful. But, thats all up to them, I can only account for me and my family.

Rhiannon - posted on 05/06/2010

I agree that car seats need to be installed properly and used correctly to be safe. But photos aren't a reliable was to tell what others do. The car may not have been running and so being strapped in was not necessary. My daughter sleeps in her car seat, not strapped in, every Saturday when we are parked up watching footy and I have photos of it.



But when travelling I agree that all safety instructions regarding the installation of car seats and safely strapping a child in is what always should happen.