This week marks National Child Passenger Safety Seat Week, a good reminder to double-check if your child's car seat is keeping him or her safe.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death among children ages three to 14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
While child safety seats can greatly reduce the risk of injury or death, research shows that three out of four car seats on average in the U.S. have not been properly installed, USA TODAY reported.
Concerned parents should take a look at SaferCar.gov's breakdown of car seat types and go through this checklist from AutoWorldNews to commemorate Safety Seat Week.
1. Is your child sitting in the back seat?
Children are "VIPs" who should stay in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old, according to Safe Kids Worldwide.
2. Is the car seat facing backward (for children under two years of age)?
Kids should sit in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible to have the best possible protection for the head, neck and spine. Generally, children outgrow rear-facing seats by age 2 and can be moved to a forward-facing seat.
3. Does the seat pass the "inch test"?
Properly installed car seats should not shift more than an inch side to side or front to back when shaken at the base.
4. Have you read the label lately?
Kids grow quickly, and the style and size of car seat they need varies depending on height and weight. Make sure your son or daughter is staying safe with the right fit.
5. Has the car seat model come up in any national recalls?
Graco recently issued a recall for 1.9 million infant car seats following an announcement for 4.2 million child car seats five months prior, marking the largest such recall in history. Some consumers have reportedly had to go to the extreme of cutting the seat's straps to get their child out, and Graco has since has issued cleaning tips for the buckles.
Check the NHTSA's list of the latest car seat recalls here.
6. If you're looking to buy a new car seat, have you done the research?
Consumer Reports conducts testing to find the best safety seats, examining how car seats perform during normal motion while driving as well as in the event of a crash. The influential consumer magazine listed the Chicco KeyFit, Combi Shuttle, Cybex Aton 2, Safety 1st onBoard 35 Air and UPPAbaby Mesa as the top five child car seats. Some lower-budget options that still rate high for safety are also listed.
7. Is it time for a booster seat yet?
Put your child in a safety car seat with a full harness until he or she reaches at least 40 pounds in weight, Parents magazine reported. After children pass the 40-pound mark, a belt-positioning booster seat will make the adult lap and shoulder belt a better fit.
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