GREENFIELD — Every parent wants to keep their children safe while driving, but choosing among the variety of car seats on the market today — and knowing how to install them correctly — can be difficult. Fortunately, Hancock Regional Hospital is here to help.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46 percent of car seats are misused — and this is a major factor that leads to motor vehicle accidents being a top cause of child death. To help combat the issue, the agency is sponsoring Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 15-21, a campaign dedicated to educating parents about how to keep their children safe.
In conjunction with that event, the hospital is highlighting the services it provides to help keep kids safe in cars.
Karleigh Maroska, the lead car seat technician at HRH, is urging parents to come to the hospital’s car seat fitting station to make sure they are using their car seats correctly.
“As parents and caregivers, we have a long list of things we do for our children to show our love. One of the simplest and most important things on the list should be to make sure they are in the right car seat for their age and size,” she said. “Car seats matter, and having the right car seat installed and used the right way is critical.”
Linda Garrity, the hospital’s community education coordinator, said instructions that come with car seats can be difficult to understand. Additionally, what the instructions say is the safest practice may not be the same as what is required by state law.
“There’s not a lot of black and white, and that makes it hard for parents,” Garrity said.
In addition to checking that they are using seats correctly, Garrity said parents should also be cautious about moving children up to the next “level” of car seat. Children who outgrow the rear-facing infant car seat should be placed in a larger rear-facing seat for as long as possible. After that, booster seats should be used until they are tall enough to safely use a standard seat belt — about 4 feet, 9 inches — though it depends on the vehicle.
Children should always sit in the back seat until, at minimum, age 13, because their bones become stronger and denser after puberty.
Garrity said parents should keep in mind that each successive level of seat is less safe, even though it provides more freedom of movement.
“Truthfully, we would all be safer in a five-point harness,” she said.
Car seat technicians at the hospital receive a four-day training on best practices for car seat safety as well as keeping up with the latest recommendations by safety experts. Parents are also welcome to contact the hospital’s car seat technicians for recommendations on which seats are safest, and seats are available for those in financial need.
Parents and caregivers can contact Hancock Regional Hospital’s Car Seat Program at (317) 468-4383 or email [email protected] to make a free appointment to have their car seats checked.
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Hancock Regional Hospital offers consultation on properly using car seats for children.
Parents and caregivers can contact Hancock Regional Hospital’s Car Seat Program at (317) 468-4383 or email [email protected] to make a free appointment to have their car seats checked.
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