Buckle up, kids! It’s Child Passenger Safety Week, an ideal time for parents and caregivers to make sure children are riding in the right seat based on their size, and that the restraint is properly secured. In Minnesota during the last five years, only half of the kids killed or injured in crashes were properly restrained.
Most Common Child Passenger Safety Mistakes
- Turning a child from a rear-facing restraint to a forward-facing restraint too soon. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends keeping children rear-facing until 2 years old if possible.
- Restraint is not secured tight enough — it should not shift more than one inch side-to-side or out from the seat.
- Harness on the child is not tight enough — if you can pinch harness material, it’s too loose.
- Retainer clip is up too high or too low — should be at the child’s armpit level.
- The child is in the wrong restraint — don’t rush your child into a seat belt.
Is your child in the right restraint?
- Learn the restraint steps a child should progress through.
Do you know how to properly secure your child?
- Learn about all types of child restraints and how to use.
- View instructional child seat instructional videos.
Give Kids a Boost! Booster Seats Are the Law in Minnesota
Learn about Minnesota’s child passenger safety law, which requires a child who is both under age 8 and shorter than 4 feet 9 inches to be fastened in a child safety seat or booster.
Great refresher info- Much appreciated!