Is Your Car Seat Installed Right? Have it Checked Thursday

By Lucy Bennett 

Car seats are supposed to keep your child safe, but they can’t do their job if they’re not installed correctly.

Three out of four car seats is installed wrong, according to AAA.

“Child safety seats will save lives, but only when they are installed and used properly,” Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Colonel George L. Bivens said.

Pennsylvania law says that any child younger than 4 must be in a federally approved car seat appropriate for the child’s age, height and weight. Children 4 to 8 must be in a booster seat if they are too big for a car seat.

In light of National Child Passenger Safety Week, make sure your seat is installed correctly. Stop by one of these free checkpoints:

Bucks County Dept. of Health, 1282 Almshouse Road, Doylestown on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call 267-590-3510

Babies R Us, 330 Commerce Blvd., Fairless Hills on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call 215-710-7078

Abington Hospital, 1200 Old York Rd, Abington on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. – noon. Schedule an appointment online at www.chop.edu/childsafety

State police also offer these tips:

•Read and follow the car seat and vehicle manufacturers’ instructions;

•Use the car’s seat belt to anchor the seat to the car unless you are using a child safety seat with the LATCH system;

•Fill out and return the registration card for your seat so you'll know if it is recalled because of a problem;

•Make sure the seat’s harness fits snugly; and

•Use a tether strap if the seat requires it.

These videos from The National Highway Traffic Administration can also help parents correctly install the seats.