1. WELCOME! Child Passenger Safety for Prepared Childbirth Class

2. CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY FOR INFANTS  WELCOME!  Picking a Seat  Installing a seat  BASICS FOR SAFETY  LATCH  After market products  More information

3. WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY?  Motor Vehicle Crashes = Leading Cause Of Death Of Children  In Connecticut, 95% of all child safety seats are improperly installed.  Car crashes cause more deaths each year than diseases, drugs, and kidnappings COMBINED!

4. "The Frings' twins were in child safety seats in the back of her 1997 Chrysler Sebring. 'They were secured exactly as they should have been,' Jefferson County Sheriff Davenport said. 'Fortunately for them, they were secured properly.'" The Frings' car after the accident: Excerpt from The Knoxville News-Sentinel Friday, June 16, 2000, newspaper article:

5. BEST What is the BEST Child Safety Seat?!?  Fits the CHILD properly  Fits the CAR properly  Will be used correctly EVERY TIME

6. PREMATURE & LOW BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS  special considerations are necessary to ensure their safe transportation:  Weight  Harness straps  Crotch strap  Respiratory obstruction

7. BASICS FOR INFANTS: Think where baby’s face would go in a crash or sudden stop!

8. NEVER NEVER NEVER PUT A CHILD In the front seat In front if airbag

9. BASICS FOR INFANTS:  Children should be REAR- FACING as long as possible, but AT-LEAST:  ONE YEAR AND  20 Pounds BABY, BACKWARDS, BELOW

10. INSTALLATION TIPS BELT PATH:Put weight into seat :

11. RETRACTING SYSTEMS Automatic Locking (ALR) Emergency Locking (ELR) Combination (Switchable)

12. LATCHPLATES Locking Latch Plate Fixed (sewn on) Latch Plate Sliding Latch Plate & Switchable

13. Locking clip Also called pre-crash positioned Regular Belt Shortening (Heavy Duty)  Within 1 inch of buckle

14. LATCH: Lower Anchors & Tethers for children

15. Use a Tether strap????  Not approved for Most rear-facing Infant Seats  Adds stability  Reduce head excursion  May solve problem with forward-mounted belt systems in some cases

16. 45 degree angle when installed

17. BASICS FOR INFANTS:  The seat should fit tightly in the car  Seat should not move more than 1 INCH at belt path when installed BUT HOW DO I GET THE CAR SEAT TO FIT TIGHTLY IN MY CAR??????

18. TIGHT HARNESS SHOULD BE TIGHT  One Finger= WONDERFUL  Two Fingers= TOO MANY  DO NOT use extra padding/blankets behind/under child or under harnesses

19.  Retainer clip should be at armpit level  Send in the registration card for recall information.  Replace any car seat/seat belt that has been involved in a crash  DO NOT use a used seat without knowing its history

20. BASICS FOR INFANTS:  If using an infant carrier when driving the handle & canopy should be DOWN

21. NEVER NEVER NEVER hold child while bundle child UNDER Car moving to console, harness (instead, put breastfeed etc:blanket on top):

22. NEVER NEVER NEVER! Never Keep harness loose or above shoulders OR Clip below armpit level

23. AFTER MARKET PRODUCTS

24. QUESTIONS?  HANDOUTS:  Info sheets  Inspection stations  Web resources  Premature & low birth weight review sheet  Video in hospital when deliver