Child Passenger Safety Tips
Safe Kids Charlotte Mecklenburg recommends that every occupant of a motor vehicle buckle up every ride, and abide by all NC traffic laws.
- Properly install your child restraint and your child. A properly installed car seat will move less than 1 inch side to side and front to back at the seat belt path. Children will be snug in the harness system, and the harness retainer clip will be armpit level. Need help? Visit one of our car seat clinics (link to calendar)
- Children under 1 year must be rear-facing in a car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children stay rear-facing as long as possible. Most convertible seats can be used rear-facing up to 30 or 35 pounds.
- Effective January 1, 2005: NC Law states a child less than 8 years old and less than 80 lbs shall be properly secured in a weight-appropriate child passenger restraint system (child safety seat or booster seat). www.buckleupnc.org
- Children 12 and under should NEVER ride in front of an airbag.
- Car seats that were in use during a motor vehicle crash may need to be replaced. Seats involved in minor crashes may be re-used according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ChildRestraints/ReUse/index.htm Major crash-involved seats are no longer considered SAFE!
- NEVER purchase second-hand seats. They may have been involved in motor vehicle crashes previously, be missing pieces, be over 6 years old, or be under recall.
- Set a good example – everyone in the car should buckle up!
Use this chart as a quick guide to proper child restraint use: Reproducible Proper Child Passenger Safety Seat Use Chart
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