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Child car seats; Infant car seats; Car seats
Information
Automobile accidents are one of the major causes of injury and death in children. In the United States, the law requires car seats for children under 40 pounds. For children over 40 pounds, specific laws vary by state.
Have a spouse or friend bring a car seat with you to the hospital when the child is born. You will need a car seat to bring the baby home from the hospital.
BUYING A CHILD SAFETY SEAT
It is best to use a new car seat. Used car seats often lack instructions and may have cracks or other problems that make the seat unsafe. For example, it may have been damaged during a car accident.
All car seats have expiration dates somewhere on them, usually on the bottom of the seat. Do not use a car seat past its expiration date, as the plastic may no longer be strong enough to support your child safely.
The "best" seat for you depends on your:
- Child's age
- Child's weight and height
- Car
The seat must fit your child's size and be able to be properly installed into your car. A more expensive seat is not necessarily the safest nor easiest to use. All car seats sold in the United States must meet government safety standards.
Make sure you fill out and return the registration card that comes with a new car seat. This way, the manufacturer will contact you if the seat is recalled because of a safety problem or other defect. If you do not have a card, call the company that made the car seat and ask for one.
Review Date: 05/12/2009
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of
Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also
reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
