Attention parents of infants and young children:
We at Pattie A. Clay Regional Medical Center want to ensure that your child has a safe car ride. Here are some important Internet links and resources.
- Child Passenger Transportation Safety Tips—“How to protect your new baby in the car” is just one of the many tips available at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/newtips.
- Car Seat Checkpoint Stations—Free-of-charge opportunity to help your infant/child ride safely in your car (to be sure your car seat is a safe fit for your child and verify that your car seat is installed properly and safely in your car).
Did you know that any car seat can be “recalled” at any time?
The National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) spot checks car seats in crash tests at random after they are available in the stores.
To check if your child’s car seat has been recalled or to report a problem with your car seat:
If your new baby was born prematurely:
Before your premature (less than 37 weeks gestation) infant’s first ride home from the hospital, he will have a car seat tolerance test done to check your baby’s ability to tolerate the car seat sitting position. There are many styles of infant car seats and some seats fit small premature infants better than others. Ask your baby’s nurse for advice before you purchase a car seat. Pattie A. Clay has many information pamphlets to help you select the best fitting car seat for your special baby.
What are Kentucky's Child Seat Laws?
- Any child under 40 inches tall must be in a child and/or infant seat.
- Any child, who is under seven years of age and is between 40 and 50 inches tall, must be in a booster seat.
- All children over seven years of age and over 50 inches tall must be secured in a seat belt.
Infant Seat Rear-Facing Convertible
These can be used for babies from birth to 20-22 pounds and less than 26 inches (check your car seat rating).
- NEVER place a rear-facing car seat in front of an air bag.
- Seat must face the rear of the vehicle.
- Harness straps should come through the slots in the back of the seat just below the level of your baby's shoulders.
- The seat should be reclined no more than a 45-degree angle. A rolled up towel may be used to help adjust the seat to the proper angle.
- Make sure the carrying handle is locked in the down position while in the car.
- Always keep harness straps snug so no more than one finger fits under it at the child's shoulder and fasten harness clip at armpit level.
Infant Seat Rear-Facing Convertible
These should be used for babies rear-facing who are 20 or more pounds AND one year of age and under.
- If your child reaches 20 pounds before turning one year old, you must make sure the car seat is rated up to 30-35 pounds when rear-facing.
- Do NOT place your child in a forward seat until at least 20 pounds and one year of age. A child younger than one does not have neck muscles strong enough to withstand a crash in a forward-facing seat.
- Keep harness straps snug and below shoulder level.
Check the label on your car seat to see its weight rating for your child now and for later growth.
Convertible
These seats can be adjusted to use by infants or toddlers. See previous for children under one year and 20 pounds.
- Use this seat forward-facing and upright for toddlers over age one and from 20-40 pounds.
- Harness straps should be snug and come through the uppermost slots in the back of the seat.
- Adjust car seat to upright position.
Toddler Car Seat/Belt Positioning Booster Seat
These seats are forward-facing only and are for children over one year and 20 pounds. They can be used up to 80 pounds.
Up to 40 pounds:
- Use the harness until your child is 40 pounds.
- Harness straps should be snug and come through the back of the seat above the shoulder.
- Booster seats with shields are never recommended. Remove the shield and follow the manufacture's directions.
Toddler Car Seat/Belt Positioning Booster Seat
Over 40 pounds:
One of the most common mistakes made is to place a child in a vehicle seat belt too early. Your child needs a booster seat if:
- The shoulder belt crosses your child's face or neck.
- If the lap belt rides up your child's stomach (this can cause serious stomach and spinal injuries in the event of a crash).
- If your child's legs do not bend over the seat naturally at the knee. (If your child's legs are not long enough for him or her to sit naturally, he or she may slouch down to be more comfortable. This can cause the lap belt to ride up the stomach.) Booster seats raise your child to a safe level so the lap and shoulder belt fits correctly.
Using a booster seat
- Harness should be removed and the seat should be used as a belt-postioning booster with the lap/shoulder belt.
- Booster seats with shields are never recommended. Remove the shield and follow the manufacture's directions.
Lap Belt
- If your car only has a lap belt in the back seat, you will need an 86-Y harness available by calling E-Z On Products Inc., (800) 323-6598 or visit http://www.ezonpro.com on the internet.
Seat Belt
For older children who are at least 4 feet, 6 inches tall and 80 pounds.
- Lap portion of the belt must go over the thighs.
- Shoulder portion of the belt must go over the shoulder, never the face or neck.
- Shoulder and lap belt adjusters are never recommended
Does my child need a booster seat?
You child may still require a booster seat. Take this quick assessment to answer your questions.
Answer these five questions to find out if your child still requires an automobile booster seat.
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered “No” to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to ride safely in the car.
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