Car Seat Safety
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 80% of child car seats in Illinois are installed or used incorrectly. What is alarming about this statistic is that children in misused car seats are not fully protected in an accident. A 2005 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 72% of nearly 3,500 observed car and booster seats were misused in a way that could be expected to increase a child’s risk of injury during a crash. Correctly installed child safety seats can reduce the risk of death in passenger cars by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers, ages one to four years.
Internet Resources
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration- NHTSA
www.nhtsa.gov
www.seatcheck.org
The NHTSA site contains car seat information, complaint reporting, “ease-of-use” rating guides, and the locations of safety inspection and installation stations throughout the United States. The Seatcheck.org initiative provides an easy to use portal to NHTSA resources.
IDOT Child Passenger Safety
http://www.buckleupillinois.org
Illinois Department of Transportation site with resources on child passenger safety, including state laws, car seat installation tips, and frequently asked questions about child safety seats.
American Academy of Pediatrics Health and Safety Information - Car Safety Seats Information for Families for 2011
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/pages/Car-Safety-Seats-Information-for-Families.aspx
The type of seat your child needs depends on several things, including your child’s size and the type of vehicle you have. To be sure your child is using the most appropriate seat, visit the AAP link above.
CDC Child Passenger Safety: Fact Sheet
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/childpas.htm
This site provides a summary of current research statistics and resources on child passenger safety.
Safe Kids USA
http://www.usa.safekids.org/skbu/cps/index.html
Safe Kids USA is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury.
Classes
Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Prentice Women’s Hospital offers classes at a variety of dates and times for new parents. For more information call 312-926-8400.
Support
City of Chicago-CAPS
312-744-5000
Inspections and installations are by appointment.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact the Alberto Culver Health Learning Center at 312-926-5465 or HLC@nmh.org.