Throughout the years of nurturing our newborns through childhood and beyond, safety plays a major part in their well-being. Preparation and prevention are the two best methods to avoid unexpected accidents.
Car seats
Statistics show that of all infants born today, one in 60 will die as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Many more will be seriously injured. These deaths and injuries could be reduced by 70 to 80 percent by the use of car restraints. For infants, the best car seat design is the bucket type in the rear facing position. There are also seats designed to convert from rear facing to front facing as your child grows.
The key to using car restraints successfully is to use them consistently. A child who is restrained in the car from infancy onward will come to expect this as the norm. Remember that in newer autos which have a passenger airbag, a car seat or a child under the age of ten should not be restrained in the front seat.
To learn more about passenger safety click on the links below
Buckle Up Kids
Minnesota's child passenger safety program
Child Passenger Safety
Great resource that includes videos on proper installation of different types of car seats
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
(this is a good one!) includes videos about installing carseats and boosters
Seat Check Organization
how to find someone to check whether your car seat is installed correctly
American Academy of Pediatrics
handouts including those for special needs kids
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
general information about traffic safety, crash testing, recalls
Safe Kids
general injury prevention, safety tips