Happy Veterans Day!
A proper and correctly installed child car seat can mean the difference in keeping a child safe in the event of a crash.  And this is something all parents want, so why not follow these tips and make sure everything is right. A huge percentage of car seats are installed incorrectly or do not fit the child properly; do not let yours be one of these.

What to do:
-Try out a new seat to make sure it secures easily. When shopping for a new car, take your current seat to every test drive, and make sure it fits.

-Use an age-appropriate car seat. Babies belong in a rear-facing seat until they're at least 1 year old and weigh 20 pounds.  It should not be automatic to switch them front facing on the first birthday.  Recent research shows it's safer for them to stay rear-facing until they reach the car seat manufacturer's height or weight limit.

-Make sure the car seat is installed properly. Look online to find a car seat technician in your area.  Many communities offer free checks with qualified seat installers.  You would be amazed at all the mistakes they find.

What not to do:
- Never ride with a child on your lap – ever, no matter how much they are screaming or need comforting. Even for a short taxi ride, it's not worth the risk.

-Do not let a child under age 13 ride in the front seat. If the air bag deploys, serious injury could result.   Front air bags are designed to protect adults, not children. Also, the back is the safest place to ride; in the front they are closer to dangers such as the dashboard and windshield.

-Do not buy used car seats. With the price of new seats it can be tempting, but you can’t be sure about the history of the seat if it is used. Only accept a hand-me-down if you're certain it has never been involved in an accident and the seat is less than 6 years old, the date it was manufactured can be found on the bottom of the seat.