September is Baby Safety Month. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, this month-long education campaign exists to increase consumer awareness of safety issues surrounding the safe use and selection of juvenile products. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urges all parents and caregivers to find an inspection station in their local area to ensure their child restraint seat is properly installed. Residents of the Washington Metropolitan area can visit the Comfort1st & Babies1st child safety seat inspection station located at our Columbia Maryland store. You can also find inspection stations in their area by visiting NHTSA's Child Safety Seat Inspection Station Locator. Comfort1st & Babies1st are helping educate parents and caregivers on the safe selection and use of child restraint seats by providing valuable information for keeping baby safe in the car.
- For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds.
- When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).
- Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall).
- When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall) they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).
Click here for additional information on how to install a car seat.
