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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a whopping 59% of car seats in the United States are not used correctly. This is a serious issue, because as Colorado State Patrol Trooper Tim Sutherland points out, “Every 32 seconds, a child is involved in a car crash.”
When these children aren’t properly secured in a car seat, their risk of being injured goes up considerably.
Car Seat Colorado, a partnership between the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Transportation, has given itself the mission of educating and making resources available to parents across the state designed to facilitate the correct usage of car seats, which will hopefully result in safer driving experiences for all children in the state.
In a partnership with Swedish Medical Center and the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, they are hosting a number of virtual events that will teach interested parents how to properly use a car seat.
The eClasses will feature certified car seat technicians giving guidance and answering questions related to properly installing car seats and boosters. The NHTSA also provides a list of all the places parents can find a car seat inspection location where they’ll be able to have their car seats inspected by certified technicians to make sure they installed correctly. That list is found here.
For children under the age of 13, traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of death. This is a tragedy not solely because of the young age of these victims, but also because these are largely avoidable fatalities. By ensuring the safe installation of their car seats, parents across Colorado can help make sure they’re kids are as safe as possible.
Main Problems with Car Seat Installations
There are a number of things many parents do incorrectly when it comes to car seat safety, including:
- Turning the car seat so that it faces the front of the vehicle too soon – A child’s head, back and spine are better supported when a car seat is rear-facing, and the shell of the seat helps absorb shock. So don’t turn the car seat until your child is the appropriate age.
- Moving away from the booster seat too early – Experts recommend that any child under 4 foot 9 inches should be in a booster seat. This can be hard to enforce as many children grow and start to see more of their friends sitting outside of a booster, but it’s important.
- Not using the top tether – Parents will sometimes forget to connect the top tether of the car seat to a third anchor point in the car. That third point of security can really make a difference in the case of a crash, so it’s important to use all three.
- Not checking the expiration date – Just like many other products we use daily, car seats can expire. The everyday wear and tear all car seats get exposed to mean that they eventually are not as safe as they were when they were new. Check the date, and don’t wait to get a new one when your old one expires.
Further Reading: CDOT’s “Keep Your License Safe” Campaign
Contact Our Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyers Today
Have you or a loved one been injured by the negligent actions of a driver? Are you concerned you won’t have the money to pay medical bills and lost expenses? If so, you need an experienced Colorado Springs motor vehicle accident lawyer on your side to help you fight for justice.
Contact the experienced attorneys at the Green Law Firm, P.C. today by calling (719) 694-8515, or by filling out the contact form on this website, to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and discuss your case.