CAR SEAT SAFETY: HOW TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE WHILE TRAVELING

Warning labels put on new cars warn about the dangers of air bags.

It is common knowledge that children who ride unrestrained -- 40 percent of child passengers -- are the most likely travelers to die in car crashes. Less well known is the fact that children whose car seats are misused may also be at serious risk.

A nationwide study on car seat misuse, recently released by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, found 85 percent of parents and caregivers install and use car seats incorrectly, with sometimes tragic results.

"I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is to know every detail about the car seat you choose," said Marti Sturm of the Cape Girardeau Area SAFE KIDS Coalition.

"Proper installation, proper fit of the child in the seat and the seat in the car is very important," continued Sturm. "Small mistakes can lead to tragic consequences."

The study was based on analysis of more than 17,500 child restraints over a 17-month period.

Specific findings include:

-- 63 percent of restraints with the safety belt not holding the seat in tightly

-- 33 percent of restraints with loose harness straps

-- 20 percent of restraints with the harness straps not correctly routed.

-- 11 percent of infants under one year and/or 20 pounds were observed riding in forward-facing instead of rear-facing car seats, an error likely to result in death in the event of a crash.

-- 12 infants were seen rear-facing in front of an active air bag, a likely fatal position in a crash.

When and where do motor vehicle occupant deaths and injuries occur?

According to Sturm and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 75 percent of motor vehicle crashes occur within 25 miles of home. In addition, 60 percent of crashes occur on roads with posted speed limits of 40 mph or less.

Children living in rural areas are at significantly greater risk of unintentional injury-related death than children living in urban areas. The higher risk is due to a combination of environment, behavioral and economic factors, including poorer access to trauma care; lower restraint use; and a disproportionate share of people living in poverty.

"People living in rural areas such as Southeast Missouri often have a carefree attitude about the use of child safety restraints," said Sturm, as well as a high number of people who can't afford them. "However, 95 percent of low-income families who own a child safety seat use it."

How do I protect my child?

A quick safety seat checkup can be performed to help protect your child by answering these questions:

Do you have the instructions for your car seat? Follow them and keep them with the seat for use as your child grows older. Use your vehicle's owner's manual for instructions on fastening the seat securely.

Is your child facing the right way for both his/her weight and age? If you use a seat made for infants only, always face it backwards. Children up to at least 20 pounds and age one should ride facing the back of the car. A child over age one faces forward.

If you have a passenger air bag, does your infant ride in the back seat? The impact of an air bag can seriously injure or kill a child riding in front of a rear-facing safety seat. Place your baby's safety seat in the back, facing the rear.

Is the vehicle safety belt in the right place and pulled tight? The seat belt must go in the correct, marked path to hold the child safety seat in place. A convertible seat faces backward for an infant and forward for a toddler. It has a different belt path for each direction.

Is the harness snug? Does it stay on the child's shoulders? Shoulder straps go in the lowest slots for babies riding backwards and in the top slots for children facing forward. The retainer clip at armpit level holds harness straps on the shoulders.

Does your child use a booster seat if he/she is close to 40 pounds and has outgrown a convertible seat? A booster seat helps the seat belt protect your child until he/she grows big enough to fit in the seat belt alone. A booster seat with no shield is used only with a lap and shoulder belt. Use a booster seat with a shield if your car has only lap belts.

Is it okay to use a used child safety seat?

"Many parents don't know that a used safety seat may be just as dangerous as no seat," said Sturm. "If you don't know much about the seat, you're placing your child's life in danger."

Any used seat should be checked carefully before use. Questions you should ask are:

-- Has the seat been in a crash? If so, it should not be used again and should be destroyed. Possible unseen damage may make it less effective in a second crash.

-- Does it have a label stating that it meets all Federal safety standards and a sticker with the manufacture date and model number? Parents should use only seats that meet Department of Transportation requirements.

-- Don't use seats more than 10 years old.

-- What is the seat's general condition and structural integrity? Inspect the frame, shell and harness straps. It is possible to replace pads and straps on structurally sound seats.

For more information on safety seats, contact Sturm at the Cape Girardeau Area SAFE KIDS Coalition at (573) 331-5880, visit the NHTSA Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov, or contact the National SAFE KIDS Campaign at (800) 441-1888 or www.safekids.org.