Nothing is more important than the safety of a child.  It is our responsibility as adults to do whatever is possible to protect our children.  When traveling with a child in a car that means making sure that the car seat is properly installed.  Ninety percent of car seats in our country are not installed properly.  A seat that has not been installed correctly can actually injure a child instead of protecting them as they are supposed to.

Making Sure Your Child’s Car Seat is Properly Installed:

So that leads to the question, how do you properly install a car seat and how do you know that it is properly installed?  One of the best ways to learn how to do this is to visit an event that shows people how to do it and checks to make sure that is done correctly.  These events are run by people who are trained in how to install car seats and are the perfect way to learn with hands on training.  These events are run by different organizations and are usually free. 

Another resource for learning how to install the seats is local law enforcement agencies or the local fire department.  They have people that are certified in the installation, and all it takes is a phone call ahead of time to set up the lesson.

For those who decide to install the seat themselves, the most important thing to do is to read the instructions for the specific car seat that is being installed.  Every car seat is a little different, so the instructions should be followed.  Many new car seats have a LATCH install system.  If your car is older than 1999, it is possible that you might need to make modifications to your car for proper installation.  If it is a shoulder and lap belt car seat it is important to realize that the lap portion of the belt is responsible for keeping the seat secure.  Make sure the shoulder portion is locked down if the lap portion does not lock on its own. 

After you are finished installing the car seat, it should not move more than one inch from side to side.  If it does, try tightening the belt more.  If this does not secure the seat, than take the seat out and reinstall it. 

Take the time to make sure a car seat is properly installed.  It is too important to say that you will do it better the next time.  Do not pass up the opportunity to have a person who is certified in car seat installations check to make sure that your seat is properly installed.  Remember most seats are not properly installed and you will not be sure until a qualified person checks yours to see whether you did it right.