Last Update:

16 August 2006

FPC Only

The current Tucson Car Seat Fitting Stations Schedule is available by clicking here !

CHILD SAFETY SEAT TIPS

Children weighing between birth and 20 pounds and are less than one year of age should ride in rear facing infant or convertible child seat. Children should remain rear facing until they are at least one year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. Never put a rear facing infant or convertible safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle with an active passenger air bag.

Children who are at least 1 year of age and over 20 pounds can ride forward facing in a convertible (harness straps in the top slot), or combination toddler/booster seat with an internal harness up until 40 lbs.

Children weighing between 40 and 80 pounds and less than 4' 9" tall should be in a belt positioning booster seat and restrained with shoulder/lap belts. Booster seats are needed for the growing child to allow the vehicles shoulder/lap belts to fit them properly. If the vehicle does not have head restraints in the back seat, a high back belt-positioning booster is recommended.

Usually, children over 80 pounds and at least 8 years old can fit correctly in shoulder/lap belts. When the child is sitting all the way back against the vehicle seat, the lap belt should fit across the child's hips, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should cross the center of the shoulder. Do not let your children put shoulder belts under their arms or behind their backs. This could result in serious injury or death.

If you have questions or concerns regarding your child's safety please contact:

Tucson Fire Department Prevention Center (520) 791-4502

REAR-FACING CAR SEATS

DIRECTIONS FOR PROPER USE

Ø Car seats should be securely attached to vehicle seats. They should not move more than 1 inch from side to side or toward the front of the vehicle when pulled at the base where the belt attaches the car seat to the vehicle. This limits forward movement in a crash and keeps the car seat from tipping over in normal driving. The car seat must be compatible with the vehicle seating position in order to get an optimal fit.

Ø Infants should be snugly secured in car seat harnesses. No more than one finger should fit between the harness and the child’s collarbone. In a crash, a loosely restrained child can be forced into contact with the vehicle interior or with other passengers or can be completely ejected.

Ø Rear-facing car seats should be reclined at a 45  angle or as indicated by the manufacturer, so that an infant’s head does not fall forward and interfere with his airway. This is a problem during the first several months of life because infants do not have the strength to hold their heads up on their own. Use of a soft object such as a rolled-up towel or foam cylinder under the car seat helps to maintain it at the right angle.

Ø Harness retainer clips should be positioned on the chest at armpit level.  This will keep the harness straps over the shoulders so that they restrain the child in the seat in the vent of a crash.

Ø Locking clips should be properly used when their use is recommended by the vehicle owner’s manual. Car seats come with locking clips, and they should be placed ½ to 1 inch from the safety belt buckle to properly secure the shoulder and lap belts together. A locking clip immobilizes the belt at a proper extension to keep the car seat secure.

Ø Safety belts must lock to restrain car seats. The vehicle owner’s manual includes details on how to put the belt system into a locked mode. This limits forward movement in the event of a crash.

Ø Car seat harness straps should be correctly routed at or below an infant’s shoulders to hold the infants body securely in the car seat in the event of a crash.

Ø Infants should ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year AND 20 pounds. The rear-facing position protects the infant’s head and neck and spreads the crash forces along the strongest parts of his body.

FORWARD-FACING CAR SEATS

DIRECTIONS FOR PROPER USE

Ø Car seats should be securely attached to vehicle seats.  They should not move more than 1 inch from side to side or toward the front of the vehicle when pulled at the base where the belt attaches the car seat to the vehicle. This limits forward movement in the event of a crash and keeps the car seat from tipping over in normal driving. The car seat must be compatible with the vehicle seating position in order to get optimal fit.

Ø Children should be snugly secured in car seat harnesses. No more than one finger should fit between the harness and the child’s collarbone. In a crash, a loosely restrained child can be forced into contact with the vehicle interior or with other passengers or can be completely ejected.

Ø Harness straps should be at or above the shoulders when a child is moved from a rear-facing to a forward-facing position. Most convertible car seats require that the harness straps be in the upper slots of the car seat back, which are reinforced to withstand crash forces.

Ø Harness retainer clips should be positioned on the chest at armpit level. This will keep the harness straps over the shoulders so they restrain the child in the seat in the event of a crash. 

Ø Locking clips should be used properly when their use is recommended by the vehicle owner’s manual. Car seats come with locking clips, and they should be placed ½ to 1 inch from the safety belt buckle to properly secure the shoulder and lap belts together. A locking clip immobilizes the belt at a proper extension to keep the car seat secure.

Ø Safety belts must lock to restrain a car seat. The vehicle owner’s manual includes details on how to put the belt system into a locked mode. This limits forward movement in the event of a crash.

BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTER SEATS

DIRECTIONS FOR PROPER USE

Ø Children from 40 pounds to at least 60 or even up to 100 pounds should ride correctly in belt-positioning booster seats with lap belts low across the upper thighs and shoulder belts snug over the center of the shoulder.. The average child who will fit a lap/shoulder belt correctly is approximately 4’ 5” and 80 pounds. In the event of a crash, children who are too small for safety belts are at risk for serious spinal cord and/or abdominal injury, due to shoulder belts riding across the neck and/or lap belts riding up onto the abdomen.

Ø Belt-positioning booster seats should always be used with lap and shoulder belts that are correctly positioned according to manufacturer’s instructions. The shoulder belt must be placed across the child’s chest and over the shoulder avoiding the neck. Children who put the shoulder belt behind their backs are at risk of severe spinal cord and abdominal injury in the event of a crash. 

Ø Locking clips are not needed for belt-positioning booster seats, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. For these seats, safety belts are used to restrain occupants and should be kept snug by the passengers, just as adult belts should be pulled tight upon buckling of optimal safety.

Ø If a vehicle only has lap belts in the rear seat, it is best to contact a local car dealer about installing shoulder belts for belt-positioning booster seats.