Transportation: Child car seat rules explained - Naperville Sun

New parents encounter many challenges — from honing sleep schedules to divvying up feeding times. Along the way often, they most likely will wish for an extra set of hands, too.On the safety front, one of the biggest is the proper use and installation of car seats. As kids grow, the questions don't end. When does the car seat turn from rear facing to front facing? When does the child progress to a booster, a lap belt?When the parent questions end, the kid questions begin. When can they move to the front seat, which seems to occur moments before the "can-I-drive" question?Car seat regulations can be confusing, according to Beth Mosher, director of public affairs with AAA."In Illinois, the law ! states children must be in a child restraint system up until age eight."Mosher concedes that the Illinois law is more stringent than other states; however, AAA along with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Department of Transportation all recommend higher standards.Infants should ride in rear-facing car seats until 2 years of age — longer if possible — to protect their developing muscles and bones, according to Dan Rozek with the Illinois Tollway.Young children up to age four should ride in a child safety seat with an internal harness until they reach the maximum harness limit of up to 40 pounds.Once the child exceeds an infant car seat's height or weight limits, a booster seat, is the most effective way to position a safety belt prop! erly on a young child's body, Rozek said."Car seats have expiration dates; therefore, parents or caregivers should check to make sure the seat is still useable and safe," he added.Rozek also recommends never buying a used seat at a garage sale, thrift store or online."Once a car seat has been in a crash, it needs to be replaced," he said. "It's important to know a seat's history."Common installation problems include too much slack in the harness straps and not properly anchoring the car seat. A properly anchored seat should not move more than an inch in any direction when tugged, Rozek added.When a child reaches 4 feet, 9 inches in height, he or she may be ready to use a lap belt, Mosher said. Parents should consider their child and see ! how the seat belt fits specifically.If the lap and shoulder belt is resting on a child's neck, the child is too small to sit without a booster seat, she added.Due to velocity, size and proximity of the front seat of air bags, AAA recommends children ages 12 and younger sit in the back seat, Mosher said.Throughout Illinois in conjunction with National Child Seat Safety Week, about 80 free car seat checks will take place. Families can have their seat installed correctly and learn how to do it themselves, Mosher said.In Downers Grove, the Illinois Tollway and Illinois State Police District 15 will be hosting its seventh annual Family Safety Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Tollway headquarters at 2700 Ogden Ave. The event will include enter! tainment and safety and education exhibits.For parents who are tech savvy but not car seat savvy, the American Academy of Pediatrics has created an iPhone app, Car Seat Check, for $1.99. Parents can input their child's age, weight and height to determine the right type of car seat to use.Of the car seats inspected by the Illinois State Police this year, Rozek said, 90 percent were improperly installed. With different groups around the state offering a helping hand, I hope parents with car seat questions take it.Tags: parenting, safety, transportation

Source : http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/2014/09/15/transportation-child-car-seat-rules-explained/