Car seats: How safe is safe enough?
Car seats.
Ok, I admit, I have an unfair advantage because I have four kids and a grandkid. I’ve seen them survive falls, fires, bullying, getting lost, getting left behind at the store and all the stuff that kids face.
Of course that doesn’t mean my heart hasn’t leapt more than a few times.
Another confession though is this. It makes me angry how much the world preys on the fear instinct of moms, especially new moms. Don’t we have enough to worry about without having to stress over being a mom who trusts their child to a death-trap car seat?
Here’s a little encouragement.
Car Seats are Safe
All car seats sold legally in the United States (and Canada – and many other countries) are subject to meeting federal safety standards. The standards are updated and tend to get more restrictive over time.
And the standards are effective. The CDC says the number of deaths in children under 12 decreased by 42% between 2002 and 2011.
They also say that 9,000 children died during that period.
But if you dig into accident data (not just the CDC estimate), a couple of things are apparent:
– A large percentage of children who die in accidents weren’t buckled at all – Duh!
– Incorrect installation of car seats is a far bigger risk than inferior car seats
That’s why the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) dedicates their reviews of car seats to “usability” factors. They know that injuries are primarily caused by misuse and installation problems, so equipment that is easier to lock, clip, buckle, connect, carry, etc. is much safer.
Don’t Stress Out
Even the lower-end infant and convertible car seats are safe. They may not be the most comfortable, have the best features, be the easiest to use or fit right in your car – but if you install them correctly and buckle the kids up correctly, they are safe. That being said, there will always be a “safer” product. Not always, but often, the more expensive seats have more safety features.
These include:
– Extra side-impact protection
– 5-point harnesses
– Steel frames
– Anti-rebound bars
– Extra layers of padding
– Different technology for energy absorption
– Easier and more reliable latching, straps and buckles
And the list goes on and on…
Maxi-Cosi just introduced the world to the first car seat with built-in airbags, the AxissFix. And there is also a car seat that is completely inflatable.
Don’t Stress, But Do Do These Things
Stressing is actually unsafe. But while you are busy not stressing there are a few things you should do to keep the kiddos safe.
(Don’t roll your eyes)
– Don’t text when you are driving
– Don’t drink and drive
– Don’t drive recklessly – (do drive “wrecklessly”, get it? I just made that one up)
Seriously, this kind of thing is statistically a much bigger risk than buying the wrong car seat.
So, For Car Seats:
– Do look for easy-to-latch and buckle seats
– Do find a nice travel system that makes it easy to transfer car seats from home to car to stroller
– Do keep your child in a rear-facing seat until they are age two
– Do make sure the kid can breathe in the car seat (careful with thick winter coats, it’s highly advisable to remove outerwear and get the straps snug to your little one’s body)
– Do consider a convertible seat so that you don’t have to buy an infant seat and forward-facing seat separately
Another “do” is to take pictures of messes instead of crying over them. It’s really fun to collect “kid
disaster photos” and share them on Facebook! (Ok so that’s not strictly a car seat tip, but sometimes memorable messes happen in car seats too.) If I had actually caught every episode on camera I would seriously be the most famous social media mom of all time.
Other Fancy Car Seat Things
I went to the JPMA show and talked to the Baby Trend people. They have this new
technology they call Connected Gear. The cool thing about it is that it has a sensor in the belt harness that can sense whether your baby is buckled into the seat.
So it can signal your phone if you’ve left the kid in the car. It detects when you’ve walked far enough
away from the car (with your phone) and lets you know if the kid is still in there.
This feature can also be used for a secondary party like a care giver. Your phone can be notified if the care giver makes the same mistake.
It can also tell if the harness isn’t tight enough. If you are interested, search for the Secure Snap Fit Infant Car Seat.
Another interesting car seat development is the Doona Infant Car Seat/ Stroller that basically is a stroller and car seat all in one piece of gear. The wheels and handle fold up into the car seat.
With new developments in safety, technology and style, car seats are getting better and safer all the time. Keeping up with all of the info is a whole other story. But getting one with government approval, not expired and never in an accident is important. It will be the best car seat that works for your baby and your budget and will keep your child safe and secure.
Blessed mother of two boys and two girls, changing diapers and homeschooling for 20 years and counting. I love to research (I’m a CPA). And I really love to help other moms make wise and thoughtful decisions for their families.
