Child Safety Seats Protect Against Car Accidents In Bradenton

As a parent, protecting your child is a primary concern. Child car safety seats help to save lives and prevent potentially devastating personal injuries in the event of a crash. Our Bradenton car accident lawyer shares guidelines to follow in terms of getting the right type of car seat and offers tips on how to ensure it is installed correctly.

Child Safety Seats Help Save Lives In The Event of A Bradenton Car Accident

According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car accidents are one of the leading causes of death among small children. Child safety seats help protect them. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has strict requirements for child safety seats, which need to be used anytime your child is in your vehicle:

• For children under the age of one: Use an approved, rear-facing child safety seat in the back seat of your car.
• For children one to three: Car seats are still required and children must ride in the back of the vehicle but can be in a forward-facing safety seat.
• For children ages four and five: Provided they meet manufacturer height and weight requirements, you can transition your child to an approved booster seat.
• For children over five: They may transition to a seat belt and harness, but make sure it is positioned properly and consider continuing to have them ride in the back seat, where they will be better protected in the event of a crash.

Installing Child Car Safety Seats Correctly

Child car safety seats can dramatically reduce the odds of personal injuries in the event of a car accident in Bradenton. However, for them to work, they must be installed properly. The NHTSA recommends that when following manufacturer instructions, familiarize yourself with the various parts of the child seat, as well as relevant places in your vehicle. These include:

• Lower anchors: Used in installing car safety seats, these can be found between the seat bottom and cushion.
• Tether anchors: These help hold the car seat in place. Typically, there are three, found either on the back seat or on the floor or ceiling. Refer to your vehicle manual to locate them.
• Anchor attachments and tethers: These are found on the car seat. Anchors are on the bottom of the seat, and tethers are generally located on top, corresponding with anchors in the vehicle.

South Manatee Fire and Rescue offers help with child safety seat installation and free inspections to ensure local children are protected.

Our Bradenton Car Accident Lawyer Is Here To Help

Even when using a car seat, serious personal injuries can happen as a result of a car accident in Bradenton. At the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely, we help you hold those at fault accountable and get the compensation you are entitled to in a claim. To request a consultation, give us a call or contact our Bradenton car accident lawyer online today.

Sources:

nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats

flhsmv.gov/safety-center/child-safety/safety-belts-child-restraints/#:~:text=Florida%20law%20requires%20children%20age,vehicle%20manufacturer’s%20integrated%20child%20seat.

smfr.com/child-seat-safety-program/