Child Safety
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle collisions are the number one cause of death of children ages 12 and under.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada recommend that all children ages 12 and under be properly restrained in a rear seat. Some states or provinces/territories have laws restricting where children may ride.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province, and territory requires that infants and children be properly restrained when they ride in a vehicle.
- Protecting Child Passengers – Important Considerations
- Protecting Infants
- Protecting Smaller Children
- Selecting a Child Seat
- Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat
- Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt
- Adding Security with a Tether
- Protecting Larger Children
■Protecting Child Passengers – Important Considerations
- An inflating front or side airbag can injure or kill a child sitting in the front seat.
- A child in the front seat is more likely to interfere with the driver's ability to safely control the vehicle.
- Statistics show that children of all sizes and ages are safer when they are properly restrained in a rear seat.
- Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either the lap belt portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system.
- Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them in the event of a collision.
- Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would likely press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
- Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very seriously injured in a crash.
- Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows, or seat adjustments.
- Do not leave children, pets or people needing assistance in the vehicle unattended, especially in hot weather when the inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could also activate vehicle controls, causing it to move unexpectedly.
Children who are unrestrained or improperly restrained can be seriously injured or killed in a crash.
Any child too small for a seat belt should be properly restrained in a child seat. A larger child should be properly restrained with a seat belt, using a booster seat if necessary.
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or wrap one around their neck can result in serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat belt and make sure any unused seat belt a child can reach is buckled, fully retracted, and locked.
■Protecting Infants
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the infant reaches the seat maker’s weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is at least one year old. Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat for a child up to two years old if the child’s height and weight are appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
Child seats must be placed and secured in a rear seating position. Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a forward-facing position. When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may prevent the driver or a front passenger from moving their seat all the way back, or from locking their seat-back in the desired position.
■Protecting Smaller Children
If a child is at least one year old and within the weight range indicated by the child seat manufacturer, the child should be properly restrained in a firmly secured forward-facing child seat.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury or death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far back as possible, and properly restrain the child.
■Selecting a Child Seat
Most child seats are LATCH-compatible (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren). Some have a rigid-type connector, while others have a flexible-type connector. Both are equally easy to use. Some existing and previously owned child seats can only be installed using the seat belt. Whichever type you choose, follow the child seat manufacturer’s use and care instructions as well as the instructions in this guide. Proper installation is key to maximizing your child’s safety.
In seating positions and vehicles not equipped with LATCH, a LATCH compatible child seat can be installed using the seat belt and a top tether for added security. This is because all child seats are required to be designed so that they can be secured with a lap belt or the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt. In addition, the child seat manufacturer may advise that a seat belt be used to attach a LATCH-compatible seat once a child reaches a specified weight. Please read the child seat owner’s manual for proper installation instructions.
Important considerations when selecting a child seat
- The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.
- The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.
- The child seat is compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
■Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat
- Locate the anchor marks affixed to the base of the seat cushion.
- Place the child seat on the vehicle seat, then attach the child seat to the lower anchors according to the instructions that came with the child seat. Make sure that the lower anchors are not obstructed by the seat belt or any other object.
- Open the tether anchor cover behind the head restraint.
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Seats in the outer positions: Put the outer head restraint to its highest position, then route the tether strap between the head restraint legs, and secure the tether strap hook to the anchor. Make sure the strap is not twisted.
- Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the child seat manufacturer.
- Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by rocking it forward and back and side to side; little movement should be felt.
- Make sure any unused seat belt that a child can reach is buckled.
- Installing a LATCH-compatible child seat in the rear center seat
Installing a LATCH-compatible child seat in the rear center seat
Each outer rear seat is equipped with a pair of lower anchors which are used to secure a LATCH-compatible child seat. The rear center seat, however, is not equipped with anchors of any kind.
The inner and outer anchors are spaced apart at a standard distance of 11 inches (280 mm).
- 15.0 inches (380 mm)
LATCH-compatible restraint systems that are fitted with rigid-type attachments cannot be installed in the rear center seat. However, a system fitted with flexible-type attachments can be installed in the center seat, provided that the child seat manufacturer’s instructions for that system permit the use of the inner anchors with the stated spacing.
Before seating a child, make sure that the system is properly attached to both the lower anchors and tether anchors.
■Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt
- Place the child seat on the vehicle seat.
- Route the seat belt through the child seat according to the seat manufacturer’s instructions, and insert the latch plate into the buckle. Insert the latch plate fully until it clicks.
- Slowly pull the shoulder part of the belt all the way out until it stops. This activates the lockable retractor.
- Let the seat belt retract a few inches and check that the retractor has switched modes by pulling on the webbing. It should not pull out again until it is reset by removing the latch plate from the buckle. If you are able to pull the shoulder belt out, the lockable retractor is not activated. Pull the seat belt all the way out, and repeat steps 3 – 4.
- Grab the shoulder part of the seat belt near the buckle, and pull up to remove any slack from the lap part of the belt. When doing this, place your weight on the child restraint system and push it into the vehicle seat.
- Make sure the child restraint system is firmly secured by rocking it forward and back, and side to side; little movement should be felt.
- Make sure any unused seat belt that a child can reach is buckled.
■Adding Security with a Tether
- Locate the appropriate tether anchorage point and lift the cover.
- Adjust head restraint: Raise the outer head restraint to its highest position, then route the tether strap between the head restraint legs. Make sure the strap is not twisted.
- Secure the tether strap hook onto the anchor. Make sure the strap is not twisted.
- Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the child seat manufacturer.
■Protecting Larger Children
When a child is too big for a child seat, secure the child in a rear seat using the lap/shoulder seat belt.
- The child’s knees bend comfortably over the edge of the seat.
- The shoulder belt crosses between the child’s neck and arm.
- The lap part of the seat belt is as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs.
- The child can stay seated for the whole trip.
If a lap/shoulder belt cannot be used properly, position the child in a booster seat in a rear seating position. For the child’s safety, check that the child meets the booster seat manufacturer’s recommendations.
Some U.S. states and Canadian provinces/territories require children to use a booster seat until they reach a given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or 60 lbs). Be sure to check current laws in the state or province/territory where you intend to drive.
Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in the front can result in injury or death if the passenger’s front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in front, move the vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible, have the child sit up properly and wear the seat belt properly, using a booster seat if needed.
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