Do you have a your Child Seat Installed Properly?

[Mark P]

thats right. Do you have yours installed correctly?

Here are some facts:

At least 80% of child car seats are used incorrectly (although I know that number is conservative, it's more like 90 %)

Using a car seat correctly will help reduce injury to your child by 75%

It is your responsilbity to install it properly, failing to do so will result in a $90 fine, plus 2 demerit points and a victim surcharge.


But, don't cry now.. you can get help.....

For those you that are unsure about your installation you can call your local public health unit and get directed to a local child car seat inspection clinic. From infant, to toddler to pre-school and primary....

New legislation that is coming out now regulates booster seats (which they were not before). Now booster seats will be designed for children up to 80 lbs.

Well, I hope you all think about how you have your child secured and maybe take a look at the manuals again (car seat manual and car manual).

If you have any doubts, get it looked at.

I installed a whole bunch on the weekend and I didn't see one that was even close to being installed correctly.

One 6 day old infant came in, daddy said he installed the seat just wanted to get it checked out... The latch system was installed very very loose. I told him to take baby out of the carrier. Once baby was out I grabbed the infant rear facing seat and was able to slide it side to side by as much as a foot. It was very bad.

[Shawn Cuthill]

Well I hope I do now!! Thanks Mark for your help this afternoon.

Do you have any tips you can post here for folks who might want to do a few things themseles?

[Mark P]

The best tip I can give you is look at both manuals and read them

And, if it seems like it can't work at all call your dealer and try and get more information. There are some seats that are a no fit for certain cars.

For yours shawn we had to use a locking clip because it is an older molder car and doesn't have an automatic locking retractor.

This makes it very difficult to ensure a tight union between your child seat and the cars seat.

We still need to get that seat tighter Shawn, but it is better then what you had it before.

I nearly made a mess in my pants knowing how it was.

[Jenn]

The first thing my husband and I did was ask a police officer in our church to check out our seat. He in turn sent an officer to our house to double check things. (Don't know what the neighbours thought when they saw a police car arrive at our door) any hoo... it is so vitally important not just how the seat is installed but how you buckle them in. If that little plastic piece that slides up the straps is not up high enough they can fly out on impact!!

[Mark P]

yes exactly, or get serious internal injuries if it does happen to hold the child in.

Landmark with the arm pits!

[hailbop]

Thanks Mark, I was suspicious that something wasn't right with our car seats, but every time i tried to tighten the one seat it didn't stay. I didn't know about getting that locking thing to keep it tight.

THANKS!

Sy will thank you later

[Mark P]

It still needs to be tighter to work properly. I need to look up on the locking clip instal to get it right.

[Shawn Cuthill]

Hey man, can you give us the details on the clinics?

[camac]

Global news at 11 is doing a piece on this. Seems pretty relevant.