One of the first rules of safety is to be a good example. Parents should always buckle up.
Here are some other important points to remember too.
•Restrain all children 12 and under in the back seat only.
•Keep infants in rear-facing child safety seats as long as possible and at least until one year of age and 20 lbs. of weight. Many convertible child safety seats allow infants to ride rear-facing until the reach weights as high as 30 to 35 lbs.
•Place children one year of age and weighing 20 to 40 lbs. who are no longer able to ride rear facing, in forward facing child safety seats.
•Place children who weigh more than 40 lbs. in belt positioning booster seats until vehicle lap and shoulder belts fit correctly, usually at around age eight.
•Position lap and shoulder safety belts properly on children over eight years old, ensuring that the lap belt fits across the thighs and the shoulder belt rests on the collar bone, not the neck or face. A child’s knees should bend naturally at the vehicles seat’s edge. Never place the shoulder belt behind a childs back or under the arm.
•Replace any child safety seats or safety belts involved in a crash.
•Teach children to buckle up on every ride, in every vehicle with every driver; teach them to never play around cars or other vehicles; never let them ride in the bed of a pickup truck.
•Parents should attend a child safety seat checkup event in their local area, where trained, nationally certified technicians can inspect their safety seat(s).
•Know the laws in Utah concerning child safety restraints. To find an appropriate safety seat for children go to www.safekids.org or call (800) 441-1888.
Child passenger safety
