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For those with children, safety is always at the forefront of your mind. Unfortunately, when it comes to dangers that your child will encounter, there is no more dangerous place than your car. This is not to say that you’re a bad driver, but there are thousands of other drivers that you’ll encounter while driving your child, sometimes on a daily basis.
When it comes to driving with your child, one of the most important things you can do to protect your child is to choose the right car seat. Now you may think that as long as it fits your child any car seat will do, this is not the case. Car seats are specifically designed based on the age and size of the child.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has posted guidelines on its website outlining the different types of car seats for children ranging from birth to 12 years old. Here are some tips to follow from the NHTSA guidelines.
Types of Car Seats Rear-Facing Car Seat
Rear-facing car seats are designed for children ranging in age from birth to approximately 3 years of age. The actual age depends on the size of your child. While it is recommended that you keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible (children under 1 year of age must use a rear-facing car seat), when they reach the recommended height and weight, they can move to a forward-facing car seat. Rear-facing car seats use a harness and are designed to move with your child in a crash to reduce stress on your child’s neck and spinal cord.
Forward-Facing Car Seat
Forward-facing car seats are designed for children ranging from approximately 1 year of age to 7 years old. A forward-facing car seat uses a harness and tether that limits your child’s movement during a crash.
Booster Seat
A booster seat is designed to position the seat belt to properly fit across your child’s body. Booster seats are recommended for children ages 4-12, depending on height and weight.
It’s important to note that each of the different types of car seats is designed and recommended to be used only in the back seat of a vehicle. In addition to following the height and weight recommendations, it is equally important to install the car seat correctly. The NHTSA website also includes installation instructions for the various types of seats. To ensure that you have installed the car seat correctly, most police agencies will conduct a free inspection of the car seat for safety.
Unfortunately, even if you take all of the proper safety precautions, there is never a guarantee that an injury won’t occur. If you or your child have been injured in a car crash, it’s important that you hire an experienced Apollo Beach personal injury attorney to protect your rights and get you the compensation you deserve. The personal injury attorneys at SouthShore Injury Attorneys are here for you.
Free Information
If you have questions about your Florida accident case, you can download our Free Reports:
- Your Guide to Florida Car Accident Claims;
- The Ultimate Guide to Florida Slip and Fall Cases; and
- 5 Medical Mistakes That Will Destroy Your Personal Injury Case
which are available at our website, or you can click the link provided. You can also contact us at 813-797-5998 to talk directly to an Apollo Beach personal injury attorney now.