By Sara Quam
Diane Boyenga, of Nobles-Rock Public Health, inspects car seats in the Frankenhoffs' family car Friday as part of the first mobile car seat check-up in Luverne. Statistically, four out of five car seats are used incorrectly, and Boyenga showed Dawn Frankenhoff some minor adjustments she should make in her childrenÕs car seats. Frankenhoff's children are Jackson, 5 1/2, and Maddison, 2 1/2.
Boyenga outlined some things all car seat owners should know: Keep the instructions with the car seat; the life of a car seat is about six years; send in the car seat registration card so you can be notified if the car seat is recalled; when throwing out old car seats, dismantle or damage them so no one will retrieve them from the trash; don't buy used car seats; the safest place for children of any age is in the back seat; replace a car seat if itÕs involved in any car crash - even a minor fender-bender. Other information was outlined by age and weight groups.
Usually children weighing more than 80 pounds and 8 years old can fit in lap/shoulder belts: Never put shoulder belts under kids' arms or behind their backs; to fit correctly in a safety belt, children must be tall enough to sit with knees bent at the edge of the seat without slouching, and lap and shoulder belts should fit low over the hips and upper thighs and snug over the shoulders.
Children between 40 and about 60 to 80 pounds (usually 4 to 8 years old) should be in booster seats: Buy a special car seat that is for kids who weigh more than 40 pounds; correctly restrain children in car booster seats using a lap/shoulder belt. Move the vehicle seat as far back as possible and if your vehicle has a low back seat and your child's ears are above it, you need a high back booster seat to protect his or her head.
Children older than 1 and between 20 and 40 pounds can be in forward-facing car seats: Keep harness straps snug; place car seat in upright position; route the harness straps in upper slots at or above shoulder level and fasten harness clip at armpit level.
Infants until at least a year old and 20 pounds should be in rear-facing car seats: Never put an infant in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger air bag; keep harness straps snug and fasten harness clip at armpit level; route harness straps in lower slots at or below shoulder level; put car seat carrying handle down, and recline a rear-facing seat at a 45 degree angle (a firmly rolled up towel under the car seat may help). Infants must ride in the back seat facing the rear of the vehicle to offer the best protection for an infant's neck.
For more information, contact the Minnesota Child Passenger Safety Program at 1-800-818-9296 or www.buckleupkids.state.mn.us