Car Seat Safety is Important

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says three out of four child safety seats are improperly installed in vehicles.
 
Safety experts say children go through four stages in terms of riding in a vehicle.  Infants should ride in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat, which is usually either 30 or 35 pounds, depending on the seat.  When children outgrow their rear-facing seats, they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat, which is usually 40 pounds, although some 5-point harness seats are now rated up to 60-65 pounds.  Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats, they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until their knees bend over the edge of the vehicle seat and their feet touch the floor while sitting all the way back.  When children outgrow their booster seats, they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if the seat belts fit properly--laying across the upper thighs, with the shoulder belt fitting across the chest.
 
Winneshiek Medical Center will hold free car seat checks six times in 2017--January 12th, March 9th, May 11th, July 13th, September 14th and November 9th.  For questions on car seat safety or to schedule an appointment, call the WMC OB Coordinator at 563-387-5361. For each seat inspected, Culver's of Decorah will donate a coupon for a free small ice cream sundae.