Child Safety Seats
During a crash, your child’s life may depend on whether they are in a properly installed child safety seat. When used correctly, child safety seats can reduce fatal injuries by 71%. Unfortunately, most people assume they are using their child safety seat correctly. However, national statistics and Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue's firsthand experience show that over 85% of safety seats are not installed properly.

Common Problems:

Children younger than 1 facing forward:
Keep children rear-facing until they are a old. An infant’s head is one-third of its total body weight. A child younger than one does not have enough neck muscle development and bone density to withstand a forward-facing crash. If your child is younger than one and exceeding the weight limit of its safety seat (most infant carrier-type seats have a weight limit of 20 lbs.), consider purchasing a convertible-type seat with a weight limit of 25 or 30 lbs. Use it rear-facing until your child is one. Seats should also be installed at a 45 degree angle.
 
Children using vehicle seatbelts too soon
Oregon law states that children less than four years of age and weighing 40 pounds or less must be secured in an approved child safety seat. However, even though not required by law, children younger than six, should use a booster seat until they are tall enough to utilize a vehicle’s seat belt system correctly. Booster seats position the seat belt to fit your child. A child is ready to use a vehicle’s seat belt system when the shoulder harness belt fits snug across the collarbone, not the neck; the lap belt fits low across the hips and top of the thighs, not the stomach; and the child’s knees bend naturally over the edge of the seat. (Depending on height, a child generally weighs between 60-80 pounds when they are safe using a vehicle seat belt system.)

Child safety seats not installed properly

Securing a child safety seat properly in a vehicle, can be a challenge. Test for adequate tightness by grabbing the frame ABOVE the opening (slot) for the vehicle seatbelt. If the safety seat can be moved more than 1 inch side-to-side, it should be secured more tightly. A safety seat can be loose for several reasons. Try one of the following tips:

* Before anchoring the safety seat with your vehicle’s seatbelt system, push down on the seat with your weight. You may do this by either pushing against a rear-facing safety seat with your hips, or kneeling in a convertible safety seat. While pushing against or kneeling in the safety seat, anchor the safety seat with the vehicle belt system.

A properly fitted locking clip

* If you are using the shoulder harness seatbelt system in your vehicle, you may need a locking clip. A locking clip should be placed on the buckle-side of the safety seat.