NHTSA URGED TO IMPROVE BOOSTER SEAT STANDARDS
Last month, 18 attorneys general called for federal regulations for side-impact crash-tests for children's car seats. In addition to the regulated standards proposed, they are also demanding an improvement for specific labeling requirements for car seats. Specifically, concerns have been raised about booster seats. CBS News reports, “There is no federal standard for side-impact crash tests, allowing companies to set their own standards while marketing products as being side-impact crash tested.” WHAT IS THE MAIN CONCERN FOR BOOSTER SEATS? A major concern of the attorneys general is the confusing labeling on the booster seats. Without federal regulations in place, manufacturers can merely provide suggestions on when to transition your child from a five-point harness car seat to a booster seat. Typically, the suggestion is based on weight: 40 pounds. At best, a manufacturer will suggest you wait to transition your child to a booster seat until he or she is at least 40 pounds. At worst, a manufacturer will put an unfair spin on the suggestion. Many companies have marketed their transitioning carseats to excite parents into making the change prematurely when the child's safety would actually benefit from staying in the five-point harness seat as long as possible. With many parents...
Is Your Car Seat Up-to-Date with Florida Law?
When you are a new parent, choosing the right car seat for your child can be stressful. Today, there are so many options available to all of us. Once you finally find the perfect one for your infant, you would think you could finally relax on this one topic, but that's not actually the case. Finding the right car seat is just the first step. Making sure to adapt the car seat through your baby's seasons of growth is the next, continuous step. Having the knowledge that you need to adjust the seat with the child's growth is common when you first buy the car seat and anxiously read over the owner's manual. But, as time goes on and you settle into life as a parent, you realize it is a lot easier than you think to forget that your child might be in a new growth stage. All parents and guardians can appreciate any reminder to consider their kid's current weight, height, and age and compare it to the car seat they are using. A FEW QUICK TIPS ON CAR SEAT SAFETY Check your child's height and weight every 2-3 months. Use this information, along with his or her...