It is estimated that 85% of infant and child car seats are installed incorrectly!

Each year children are killed in car crashes and thousands more are injured seriously and need medical attention. Use car safety seats and seat belts correctly and help prevent injury to your child.

From your baby’s first ride home from the hospital or birth center, use a rear facing car safety seat installed in the back seat. All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least one year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. So if your baby reaches 20 pounds before his first birthday, he should remain rear-facing until he turns 1 year old. Never place a child in a rear-facing car safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has an airbag. The safest place for all children to ride is in the back seat.

Whether you are using an infant-only seat or one that converts to fit a larger child, be sure to carefully read the owner's manual that came with your car on how to correctly install car safety seats as well as the instructions from the car seat manufacturer for installation.   Be sure to buckle harnesses and straps carefully.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the AAP recommend that when flying, children be securely fastened in car safety seats until 4 years of age, then be secured with the airplane seat belts.

Booster seats are designed to “boost” your child so that the automobile lap and/or shoulder belts fits properly. The lap belt should lie low across your child's thighs and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of your child's chest and shoulder – just like it fits an adult.  Both high-backed and backless models are available and should be used until your child is big enough to correctly fit in a lap/shoulder seat belt.

Some car safety seats combine the features of a forward-facing seat and a booster. These seats come with harness straps for children who weigh up to 40 to 50 pounds (depending on the model). Once your child reaches the weight and height limits, you can use the seat as a booster by removing the harnesses and using your vehicle's lap/shoulder belts. Keep in mind that when using the harness straps, the seat can be secured with a lap/ shoulder belt or a lap-only belt.

Car Seat Inspection Specialists are available in many communities. A list of certified specialists is available on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ contacts/. A list of inspection stations is available at www.seatcheck.org. You can also get this information by calling the NHTSA Auto Safety Hot Line at 888/ DASH-2-DOT (888/327-4236), from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday.

If your child has special needs, Easter Seals, Inc, has car seat safety programs for children with special needs in the following states: Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. More information is available from Easter Seals, Inc, at 800/221-6827.