1. Road Wise Passenger Safety ABC’s on Child Safety Seats
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
in cooperation with
Texas Department of Transportation
Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability,
genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

2. What’s the Problem?
Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVC) are the leading cause of death for children.
Nearly half of children killed in motor vehicle crashes were unrestrained.
Nationwide, more young children die each year as passengers in vehicle crashes than from any disease or from other kinds of unintentional injuries combined! In 2009, nearly half of the children under 15 years old who were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes were reported as unrestrained.
Because of their delicate bone structures, infants and toddlers are extremely susceptible to injury in vehicle crashes when not restrained.
Child safety seats are very effective at preventing injury and deaths when they are installed and used correctly.

3. Two Important Tools Your vehicle owner’s manual
Child safety seat instruction booklet
Stress the importance of reading the vehicle owner’s manual and the child safety seat instruction booklet. Each will contain special considerations for using that particular vehicle system and child safety seat.

4. Four Steps Rear-facing Seats Forward-facing Seats with Harnesses
Booster Seats
Seat Belts
Briefly discuss each step in the handout, “4 STEPS to Keeping Your Child Riding Safely in the Car.”

5. Rear-facing Seats
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children rear-facing until age two or to the weight and height limit of their seat
Rear-facing children are five times safer than forward-facing children
Discuss the latest recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics to keep children rear-facing until age two or to the limit of their seat. For most rear-facing convertible seats, that limit would be at least 35 pounds.
The average three year-old could still be rear-facing if they are not too tall for the seat. Too tall is when the child exceeds the stated height limit for the seat or if there is less than one inch between the top of the child’s head and the top of the shell of the seat.
The child’s legs touching the back of the vehicle seat is NOT an issue. Children’s joints are not fully formed, and they are flexible. Sitting with their legs against the back of the vehicle seat is not uncomfortable nor is it dangerous. Broken legs are much more common when a child is forward-facing.
Rear-facing is five times safer than forward-facing. The rear-facing child is the safest occupant in the car!

6. Types of Rear-facing Seats
Most parents start their children in a rear-facing infant-only seat. Stress that this type of seat can only be used rear-facing. Most come with a separate base that stays installed in the vehicle and a carrier that can be removed from the base. The usual weight limit is 5-22 pounds, but there are several models that start at birth or 4 pounds, and many now go to 30 or 35 pounds rear-facing. Again, there always needs to be at least one inch between the top of the child’s head and the top of the shell.
The next step after the rear-facing only seat is the convertible seat. A convertible seat can go rear-facing and then forward-facing. Most rear-facing convertibles go 5-35 pounds. Some parents skip the rear-facing infant only seat and start their child off in the rear-facing convertible seat.
Many rear-facing convertibles now go to 40 pounds rear-facing. A couple even go to 45 pounds rear-facing! That could even keep a four year old rear-facing unless the child exceeded the height limit of the seat or if there was not one inch between the top of the child’s head and the top of the seat.
Rear-facing Convertible Seat
Convertible seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing.
When rear-facing, most go 5-35 pounds. Many go 5-40 pounds. Some go to 45 pounds.
Rear-facing Infant Only
Use ONLY rear-facing.
Most go 5-22 pounds.
Several start at birth or 4 pounds.
Many go up to 30 or 35 pounds.

7. Forward-facing
Children can be forward-facing when they have outgrown the limit of their rear-facing seat. This is usually at age two or older.
Children under 40 pounds are best protected in a 5-point harness.
The next step would be to turn the convertible seat forward-facing. Parents need to be encouraged to keep their children rear-facing as long as possible and not turn the child forward-facing too soon.
Children can be forward-facing when they have outgrown the limit of their rear-facing seat. This is usually at age two or older. Children under 40 pounds are best protected in a 5-point harness

8. Types of Forward-facing Seats
One of the two types of forward-facing seats includes the forward-facing convertible seat. Most go up to 40 pounds, but there are now several that go to a higher limit. One model even goes to 80 pounds!
Another type of forward-facing seat is the combination seat, which is usually called a ‘booster with a removable 5-point harness.’ This type of seat can only be used forward-facing. The typical weight limit is 40 pounds, but several models go to a higher weight limit. One model goes to 90 pounds with the harness! This type of seat converts to a booster when the child reaches the maximum weight or height for the harness. Children less than four years old and 40 pounds should stay in a harness seat rather than use a booster seat.
Forward-facing Convertible Seat
When forward-facing, convertible seats go 40 pounds.
Many go to higher weights, up to 80 pounds.
Combination Seat or Booster with Harness
Booster with removable harness.
Most combination seats go to 40 pounds Many go to higher weights. One goes to 90 pounds.
Becomes booster when harness is removed.

9. Harness Slots Rear-facing Harness straps at or below shoulders
Forward-facing
Harness straps at or above shoulders
Harness Slots
The rules for harness straps are:
Rear-facing – keep the harnesses at or below the child’s shoulders.
Forward-facing – keep the harnesses at or above the child’s shoulders.

10. Retainer Clip Retainer Clip Place at level, armpit to armpit
Holds straps in position
Retainer Clip
The retainer clip or chest clip is designed to keep the straps from falling off the child’s shoulders. It must be across the chest, armpit to armpit.

11. Harness Straps Snug Straps must be snug
Not able to pinch any of webbing on harness
Make sure the harness straps are snug. Take the ‘pinch test.’ You should not be able to pinch up any of the webbing. Do not make the harnesses so tight that they make a mark on the child’s skin, but it is important that they be snug to prevent ejection from the harness in the event of a crash.

12. Booster Seats
Booster seats are for children who are at least 4 years old and pounds.
Children need to be mature enough to stay in place in the booster seat.
Children should ride in booster seats until they fit the seat belt system – usually at 4’9’’ tall.
Booster seats are for children who are at least 4 years old and 40 pounds and mature enough to stay in place for the entire trip.
A booster seat simply boosts the child up so that the lap and shoulder belt fit the child correctly.
When a child who is too small for the lap/shoulder belt rides in the seat belt system, they are at great risk for injury from the lap belt when it rides over the soft tissue of the abdomen. When the shoulder belt rubs against the child’s neck, they put it behind their back, which causes them to have no upper body support and is also very dangerous.
Children should ride in booster seats until they fit the seat belt system – usually at 4’9’’ tall.

13. Seat Belts Children are ready for seat belts when:
The lap belt fits low on the hips and not across the abdomen.
The shoulder belt fits across the middle of the shoulder and flat across the chest.
This is usually when they reach age 8-12.
A child is ready for a seat belt when the lap belt fits low on the hips and not across the abdomen, and the shoulder belt fits across the middle of the shoulder and flat across the chest.
This is usually sometime between ages 8-12.

14. Best Practice What is the safest way for your child to travel?
Activity:
Refer to the handout, “4 STEPS to Keeping Your Child Riding Safely in the Car.” Review each of the following with the group:
Rear-facing Safety Seat
Forward-facing Safety Seat
Booster Seat
Lap/Shoulder Belts
(If more than 10 people are present, divide into small groups.) Have each participant share their child’s age and weight. As a group, determine the best type of restraint for that child.

15. Air Bags: What are they good for?
Distribute the Children and Air Bags fact sheet. Review it with the group.
Air bags are supplemental restraints designed to work with safety belts to provide optimum protection for adults. Air bags are not designed to protect children and can cause serious injury or death to children.
A child in rear-facing safety seat should NEVER be placed in the front seat of a car equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The impact of a deploying air bag striking a rear-facing child safety seat could result in serious or fatal injury to the child.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that all children 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.
Adults riding in front of an air bag should be wearing a lap/shoulder belt and should be sitting with their chest at least inches from the air bag.
NEVER place a rear-facing seat in front of an active air bag!

16. Pointers for Happy Children in Safety Seats
Start early
Be consistent
Use words
Model good behavior
Boredom monster
Be firm
Clue in grandparents
Be comforting
Distribute the “ABC’s on Child Safety Seats” fact sheet. Review the “Pointers for Happy Children in Safety Seats” with the group.

17. Keeping Children Safe in Vehicle
Use soft toys and books in the car.
Loose items will become projectiles in a crash.
Review possible toys for infant and toddlers that are suggested at the bottom of “Pointers for Happy Children in Safety Seats.”

18. Be Safe - Get a Free Inspection
Most seats are used incorrectly.
Locate a certified technician near you.
To schedule a free inspection, go to:
Most parents are not using their child safety seat correctly. It is very important to get your child safety seat inspected to make sure you have the correct seat for your child’s age, weight, heigh,t and physical development.
To schedule a free inspection, find a certified child passenger safety technician at

19. The ABC’s on Child Safety Seats
We have covered a lot of information today. Remind participants that it is important to choose the right seat for their child, to make sure the child is in the seat correctly, and that the seat is installed securely in their vehicle.
Child safety seats save lives when they are used correctly! Remember to schedule an inspection!
Are there any questions?