II. Background
- Car Seats first came into use in the U.S. in the 1930s, but were not nationally mandated until 1985
III. Epidemiology
- Use per National Traffic Safety Administration (NTSA)
- Children under age 5 are unrestrained in 51% of cases
- Safety seats are misused in 80% of cases
- Child Safety Seat efficacy in Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Car Seats reduce infant deaths by 71%
- Car Seats reduce toddler deaths by 54%
- Booster Seats serious injury risk in ages 4-8 years old by 45%
- Reduces hospitalization by 69%
- Durbin (2011) Pediatrics 127(4):e1050-66 [PubMed]
- Non-MVA related injuries occur when Car Seats are used for unintended purposes
- Of Car Seat related injuries, 88% occur outside a motor vehicle
- Trauma from falls from elevated surfaces (e.g. grocery carts, tables)
- Strap related Strangulation or positional asphyxia
- Desapriya (2007) Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot 14(3): 196-8 [PubMed]
IV. Precautions: Three quick rules of thumb
- Backwards is best (until age 2 years and 20 pounds)
- Weights to change Car Seat: 20-40-80
- Boost until big enough (80 pounds, 57 inches)
V. Types: Safety Seats
VI. Precautions: Not-Acceptable Seats (Car Seats to Avoid)
- Infants Seats
- Century 590 (throw away the base)
- Evenflo On My Way 206 (only use with the base)
- Convertible Seat
- Kolcraft Traveler 700 (only use facing rearward)
VII. Precautions: General
- Never use rear-facing seats in front of an airbag
- Use only properly fitting seats and restraints
- Never use child seats in side-facing seats
- Attach Car Seat firmly to car
- Side-to-side motion should be no more than 1 inch
- Harnesses
- Should be snug and unable to pinch harness lengthwise
- Avoid bulky clothes under harness (too loose)
- Keep flat and without knots
- Do not iron or heat dry harnesses (weakens strap)
- Harness clip should be placed at level of axilla
- Harness straps should be in reinforced position only
- Except in rear-facing Car Seats
- Only use safe Car Seats
- Throw out any Car Seat that has been in a crash
- Avoid use of Car Seats that are older than 6 years
- Constantly check for product recalls
- Replace Car Seats after any MVA more than a minor accident
- Vehicle could not be driven away
- Vehicle door nearest the safety seat was damaged
- Injury among vehicle occupants
- Airbags deployed
- Visible damage to the Car Seat
VIII. Precautions: Adult Seat Belt use
- See Adult Safety Belt
-
Booster Seats should be used from age 4-8 years old (until height >=57 inches)
- Premature use of the adult Shoulder-Lap belt risks neck extension and flexion injuries
- See Seat Belt Syndrome
IX. Resources
- NHTSA Auto Safety
- http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/
- Phone: 1-888-DASH-2-DOT or 1-888-327-4236
- SafetyBeltSafe USA
- http://www.carseat.org
- English Phone: 800-745-SAFE or 800-745-7233
- Spanish Phone: 800-747-SANO or 800-747-7266
- History of Car Seats (Michelle Pratt)
Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)
Related Studies
| Concepts | Manufactured Object (T073) |
| English | car seats, car seat, Car Seats |
Ontology: Child Restraint Systems (C2718030)
| Definition (MSH) | Devices used to protect and restrain infant and child automotive passengers. |
| Concepts | Manufactured Object (T073) |
| MSH | D057207 |
| English | Restraint Systems, Child, Restraint System, Child, Systems, Child Restraint, System, Child Restraint, Child Restraint Systems, Child Restraint System, Child restraint systems in automobiles |
| French | Systèmes de retenue pour enfant, Systèmes de fixation des enfants en voiture, Dispositifs de retenue pour enfant, Systèmes de retenue pour enfants, Systèmes de retenue et de protection pour enfant |
| German | Kinderrückhaltesystem, Kinderrueckhaltesystem |
| Italian | Sistemi di contenimento del bambino |
| Portuguese | Sistemas de Proteção para Crianças, Assentos de Segurança Infantil |
| Spanish | Sistemas de Sujeción Infantil |
| Russian | КРЕСЛО БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ДЛЯ ДЕТЕЙ В АВТОТРАНСПОРТЕ, DETEI BEZOPASNOST' V AVTOTRANSPORTE, USTROISTVA BEZOPASNOSTI, KRESLO BEZOPASNOSTI DLIA DETEI V AVTOTRANSPORTE, СИСТЕМЫ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ДЛЯ ДЕТЕЙ В АВТОТРАНСПОРТЕ, SISTEMY BEZOPASNOSTI DLIA DETEI V AVTOTRANSPORTE, ДЕТЕЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТЬ В АВТОТРАНСПОРТЕ, УСТРОЙСТВА БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ |
| Czech | dětské zádržné systémy |
| Swedish | Barnsäkerhetsbälte |
| Polish | Urządzenia przytrzymujące dla dzieci, Środki bezpieczeństwa w samochodzie, Foteliki samochodowe |
| Japanese | チャイルドシート, カーシート-子供用, アンゼンシート-子供用, 子供用安全シート, カーシート, 子供用カーシート |
| Norwegian | Barnesikringsutstyr i bil |
Ontology: Child Safety Seats (C2718031)
| Concepts | Manufactured Object (T073) |
| MSH | D057207 |
| LNC | LA9389-3 |
| English | Child Safety Seats, Safety Seat, Child, Seats, Child Safety, Safety Seats, Child, Child Safety Seat, Child safety seat |
| French | Sièges de sécurité pour enfant, Sièges de sécurité automobile pour enfant, Sièges auto pour enfant |
| German | Kinder-Sicherheitssitz, Kindersicherheitssitz, Kindersitz |
| Czech | dětské bezpečnostní sedačky, dětské autosedačky |
| Norwegian | Bilstoler, Bilbarnestoler |
