Child Passenger Safety Simple pointers to keep your children safe

Illinois Law Child Passenger Protection Act Revised effective January 1, 2004 IL law requires that all children under the age of 8 be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat. All children need to be restrained correctly whenever they ride in a motor vehicle- Every trip, Every time!!!!!!!

Infant-only seats The safest way for infants to ride is rear-facing in the back seat. Rear-facing child safety seats protect the infant’s head, neck and back in a crash. The infant should ride rear- facing until at least 20 pounds AND one year of age, longer if possible to protect their developing muscles and bones. The baby's head must be at least one inch below the top of the child safety seat. The label on the child safety seat gives the upper weight limit of the child safety seat. Infant-only seats usually range from birth or five pounds to about 20 pounds. ALWAYS monitor the baby when he/she is in the infant-only seat. The infant-only child safety seat should not be used as a crib, and should NEVER be placed on a high table or unstable surface.

Infant-only Seats Keep harness straps fastened snug on baby even when the child safety seat is not being used in your vehicle. Harness straps should be at or below the baby’s shoulders

Convertible child safety seats are designed for older babies and can be used rear–facing to higher weight limits, and then forward- facing Newer convertible child safety seats can be used rear-facing up to 30 or 35 pounds for children who are over 20 pounds, but less than one year of age. Some older models can only be used up to pounds rear–facing. Always check the label and instructions for the rear–facing weight limit. If a baby under one year of age grows too tall or too heavy for an infant- only seat, a convertible seat with a higher rear-facing weight limit (over 22 pounds) is recommended. Convertible child safety seats may be turned around to face the front when baby is over one year of age AND at least 20 pounds. It is recommended that a child ride rear-facing as long as he/she fits in the convertible child safety seat. This protects baby's fragile head, neck, and spinal cord. Follow the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions for rear-facing weight limits. Convertible Seats (Toddler Seats)

Convertible seats A convertible child safety seat with a 5 point harness is recommended over a convertible seat with a padded overhead shield for small infants. The shield comes up too high and may make proper adjustment of the harness difficult for a small infant. The harness straps are at or below the child’s shoulders for rear-facing, and at or above the shoulders for forward facing.

Forward-Facing only Forward-facing only seats are designed for children who are over one year and over 20 lbs. The upper weight limit for this seat is usually 40 lbs. When the child reaches 40 lbs., you need to take out the harness straps and use the seat as a Belt Positioning Booster seat with the safety belt.

Forward Facing-only Harness straps must be at or above the child’s shoulders.

Boosters Safety belts are designed for small adults who are at least 80 pounds and 4 feet 9 inches tall. Until age eight, most children have not developed strong hipbones, and their legs and body are too short for the adult safety belt to fit correctly. A belt that rides up on the tummy could cause serious internal injuries to vital organs. Many young children do not sit still or straight enough to keep lap belts low across their thighs or the strong hip bones. The shoulder belt should never be placed behind a child’s back or under the arm. If this is done, your child could be seriously injured. Booster seats are comfortable for children because they allow their legs to bend normally and help them sit up straighter so the adult safety belt fits. Booster seats also allow kids to see out the window better. A booster seat must always be used with a combination lap/shoulder safety belt, never with a lap only safety belt.

Booster Seats Always buckle the booster seat when the child is not in it. A loose booster seat can injure others in a crash.

Installing child restraints ALWAYS read and follow the child safety seat instructions and the vehicle owner's manual Make sure you know how the safety belt/ LATCH system work in the vehicle in order to keep the child safety seat firmly attached to the vehicle. You can put your knee in the seat and pull the safety belt/LATCH tight. Log on to the IDOT Child Passenger Safety website at in order to find a Child Passenger Safety technician in your area.

Safety belts When is a Child Ready for an Adult Safety Belt? Until age eight, most children have not developed strong hipbones, and their legs and body are too short to allow the safety belt to fit properly. Safety belts are designed for small adults. The lap portion of the safety belt must fit low and tight across the upper thighs. The shoulder portion of the safety belt should rest over the center of the shoulder and across the chest. To be able to fit in a safety belt, a child must pass this 5-step test: Be tall enough to sit without slouching, Keep his/her back against the vehicle seat back, Keep his/her knees completely bent over the edge of the seat, Keep his/her feet flat on the floor, and Be able to stay comfortably seated this way for the entire trip. Never put the shoulder portion of the safety belt under the child's arm or behind the child's back. This can cause severe internal injuries in a crash. If the safety belt does not fit properly the child should use a belt-positioning booster seat. Always check how the safety belt fits on the child in every vehicle. A belt- positioning booster seat may be needed in some vehicles and not in others.

Friendly Reminders WARNING: The back seat is the safest place in the event of a crash. Children 12 and under should ride properly restrained in back. Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an active airbag. Children should remain rear-facing as long as possible and… EVERYONE needs to buckle up, every trip, every time!!!!! Buckle Up—it saves lives!

Resources IL Dept. of Transportation, Child Passenger Safety National Highway Transportation Safety Administration American Academy of Pediatrics Safe Kids Worldwide Booster Seat information

Northwestern OP Coordinator Melanie Wingo Winnebago County Health Department PHONE: FAX: Collar and Cook Counties OP Coordinator Tom McQueen Rush-Copley Medical Center PHONE: FAX: (630) (call Tom before you fax) Chicago OP Coordinator Wanda Vazquez Centro San Bonifacio PHONE: x109 FAX : West Central OP Coordinator Nicole Baer Child Care Resource and Referral Network PHONE: FAX: East Central OP Coordinator Jennifer Toney Child Care Resource and Referral Network PHONE: x 13 FAX: Southwestern OP Coordinator Rachel Walker Southern Illinois University Safety Center PHONE: FAX: Southeastern OP Coordinator Kathy White Wabash Area Development, Inc. PHONE: FAX: Special Needs CPS Resource Center Patrick Collier Children’s Hospital of Illinois PHONE: FAX: For more Information on Child Passenger Safety