Child Passenger Safety Week is right around the corner in September, and we here at Patriot Insurance want to do our part to help make children in Blaine and the Twin Cities area a little safer.
This month, we want to put the spotlight on an important, but often overlooked issue: proper car seat installation. After all, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death among children under age 14. Continue reading to find out how you can make sure your child is riding as safely as possible so you can have peace of mind out on the road.
How Should a Car Seat be Installed?
According to the Minnesota Safety Council, a proper car seat installation can reduce the risk of death in an accident by as much as 70 percent. It is important to always install car seats according to the instructions inside the manufacture manual. It is also important to adhere to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) when determining which type of safety seat to use and how to position it within your vehicle.
Current recommendations state that children under age 2 should always ride in a rear-facing safety seat and continue to do so until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the seat’s manufacturer. Then, children can progress to a front-facing position, but should not advance to a booster seat until at least age 5. Though the law allows children to stop using booster seats at age 8, it is recommended that you continue to keep your child in a safety seat until he or she grows to a height of 4 feet 9 inches.
Additional Tips
In addition to adhering to proper installation, seat type, and position, you can better protect your child by:
- Positioning your child’s safety seat in the middle of the back seat
- Registering your safety seat to receive important recall information
- Signing up for recall information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Never allowing a child under age 12 to ride in a seat that contains an airbag
- Always buckling children into their seats, regardless of how short the drive will be
Find a Child Safety Seat Inspection Facility
There will be several locations in and around Blaine that will be offering free child safety seat inspections throughout child passenger safety week. If you are unable to attend a child passenger safety week event, don’t worry. You can still have your child’s car seat inspected for proper installation.
According to the City of Blaine, the Blaine Police Department has nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to inspect safety seats by appointment. If you live here in Blaine, there is no charge to have your child’s seat inspected. If you live outside the Blaine city limits, you can still have your child’s safety seat inspected for a small fee of $25. Just call 763-785-6168 during normal business hours to set up your appointment.
If you prefer evening inspections, consider visiting one of the Safe Kids clinics in Anoka County. For the remainder of 2016, car seat inspections are scheduled for:
- September 20th, 4-7 p.m. at Friendly Chevrolet
- October 12th, 4-7 p.m. at Coon Rapids Fire Department #3
- November 15th, 4-7 p.m. at Ramsey Fire Station #1
Of course, you can also help protect your family on the road by having the right car insurance. From roadside assistance to help paying medical bills in a hit-and-run, we here at Patriot Insurance can provide you with a car insurance quote on policies that will help you cover all of your bases. Call us today for more information. We look forward to serving you soon.