Everyone in a vehicle, whether the driver or someone in the third-row of a luxury SUV, deserves to be safe. This also applies to passengers of all ages. Children riding in cars need to have a car seat until approximately age 4, and have a booster seat after that until they reach 10-12 (or until the normal seat belts fit them). This is important for the safety of your children, but also Texas law. While it’s very important that children have correctly adjusted car seats, not everyone puts them in correctly. Here are four tips for making sure your car seat is correctly installed (which can keep your kids safer in an accident).
Read More: Car Seat Safety Tips for Holiday Travel
Four Tips for Making Sure Your Car Seat Is Correctly Installed
Make Sure It’s Tight Enough
If you can pinch the seat belt or wiggle the car seat more than one inch in either direction, the seat must be strapped in tighter.
Use a New Car Seat
Newer models fit better with modern cars, and as car seats age some parts (like plastics subjected to intense Texas heat) may start to degrade.
Face the Correct Way
Babies and very small children should be faced backwards, while older ones can be in seats which face the front. Check your for seat for instructions on which direction is good for what ages.
Get Help If Needed
Confused about the options available with car seats? You can visit BuckleUpForLife.org, or call the Children’s Health Car Seat Program in North Texas at 214-456-2059 for a free car seat check.