Statistics show that four out of every five car seats are installed incorrectly!  I, as a parent in the Madison area, with a child in a car seat, was not aware of that scary fact.  One of the most important things we can do as a parent is to make that appointment with an expert in car seat use.  I did and found that there are two common problems with car seat installation.  One is that the car seat is not tight enough in the vehicle.  A second problem is not having the harness tight enough or not having it in the correct location (for example: too high or too low). 

1.  When you buckle the car seat into the car, you should not be able to pull the back of the car seat forward from the top.  And, I’m saying not at all.  Most people will install a car seat and then jiggle it side to side to see if it’s tight.  That’s not the direction you should be worried about; instead it’s the forward/backward motion that you want to be concerned with.  The easiest way to ensure the tightest fit is to buckle the car seat in and then place your knee in the car seat, where you child’s bottom will go.  Now, pull the seat belt strap through the buckle as tight as you can.  After doing that, when grabbing it from the top, you shouldn’t be able to move the car seat forward at all.   

2.  Remember that the harness buckles should be at the same height as your child’s armpits; it shouldn’t be toward the neck (too high) or near the belly button (too low). 

Increase your peace of mind as you drive around with your child in the car with you (mine certainly was), make that appointment soon!       

For all your local information needs in Madison click on www.directoryofmadison.com

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