Car Seat Safety & Transporting Children Safely Training Curriculum BHCS, LLC 11/2011

General Tips for Providers: Safety In and Around Cars

Walking Safely When crossing the street with a child, hold their hand Walk on sidewalks and cross the street at corners using crosswalks Obey all traffic signals when crossing the road Never cross the street between parked cars Look left, then right, then left again before crossing streets

Safety Around Vehicles Always cross the street at least 10 feet in front of school buses—never behind! Make sure children play in safe areas away from vehicles—not in driveways or parking lots Teach children never to run into the street

Safety Inside the Vehicle Children should NEVER be left in a car without an adult, not even for one minute Always lock car doors and the trunk and keep keys and remote entry devices out of reach of children If your car has them, utilize door & window child safety locks Air bags could seriously injure or even kill an unbuckled child or adult who is sitting too close to the air bag or who is thrown to the dash during emergency braking

Car Seat Basics Children should ride in a back seat until they are 14 years old Children and adults should be buckled up on every ride, no matter how short the trip may be Children should use car seats or booster seats that are right for their age, height, and weight Always follow all of the instructions on using and installing a car seat

Car Seat Basics Avoid using a car seat if you don’t know where it came from or if the labels are missing Make sure you are using the best car seat for the child/children—if you are not sure, ask! You can visit www.usa.safekids.org to find a car seat inspection station near your home

Child Passenger Safety Laws in Connecticut

Law: Infants must remain rear-facing until they are a minimum of both 20 pounds and 1 year old Further recommended: Babies should be kept rear-facing until they are 2 years old or meet the maximum height or weight limit for their car seat when it is rear-facing

Law: Toddlers must be in a car seat. Further recommended: children should remain in a car seat until they reach the weight or height limit of their car seat (usually 40 lbs or more). Additionally, don’t use a car seat that has been in a crash or has expired.

Law: Children should ride in a car seat or booster seat until they reach 7 years old AND 60 lbs (they must meet both requirements). Children who ride in a booster seat must use a lap belt and a shoulder belt. Further Recommended: Children should continue to ride in a booster seat until the seat belt fits properly (fitting on their collar bone and hip bones, no on their neck and stomach).

Law: Children, tweens and teens must be in a seat belt whenever they ride in the vehicle. Further recommended: Children should ride in the back seat until they are 14 years old. All people and objects should be properly restrained wherever they are in the vehicle. VIOLATORS OF THE CT CAR SEAT LAW MUST PAY A FINE AND ATTEND A 2-HOUR EDUCATIONAL CAR SEAT CLASS AT THE DMV

Rear-facing Car Seats *Please click on icon to read article*

Forward-facing Car Seats *Please click on link to read article*

Booster Seats *Please click on link to read article*

Belt Positioning Booster Seats Belt Positioning Booster Seats *Please click on link below to read article*

Car Seat Safety Check: 8 Common Mistakes You Must Avoid Car Seat Safety Check: 8 Common Mistakes You Must Avoid *Please click on link below to read article*

FOUR OUT OF FIVE CAR SEATS ARE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY... Safe Kids Connecticut provides car seat checks throughout the state, as well as fitting stations. Fitting stations exist in different locations throughout the state, mostly in police and fire departments.  The fitting stations have all of the needed materials to check child safety seats as well as certified personnel.  

Fitting Stations Care Providers or Parents should call to set up an appointment, as many fitting stations check seats on certain days of the week.  Although the large clinics do still occur throughout the state, fitting stations are often more convenient. In order to allow enough time for your seats to be checked, please arrive early as it takes about ½ hour to check each car seat in your vehicle. To find a fitting station in your area, go to: http://www.ctsafekids.org/fittingstations.htm

Children and Airbags *Please click on link below to read article*

Additional Safety Tips Plan ahead. Never transport more children than there are seat belts in your vehicle. Never place an infant in a rear-facing seat in the front seat with an active air-bag. If an older child must ride in the front seat, move the seat back as far as it can go, away from the airbag. A lap only belt can NEVER be used with a belt-positioning booster seat.

Transportation & Ethics Never transport a person other than the child/children you are authorized to transport (i.e., the child’s parent or your own relative). Select music that is appropriate given the child’s age, your professional role, and the child’s primary caregivers’ preferences. Do not text or use your cell phone when transporting children if your vehicle is in motion, pull over and park first if you must take a call.

Transportation & Ethics Do not smoke in the car when transporting children. Obey all traffic laws including speed limits. Use your best judgment in determining if conditions are safe enough to drive and transport a child given weather conditions. Do not transport children if the governor has declared a state of emergency. Do not stop at unauthorized locations while in transit and transporting children (i.e., your home, the drycleaners, etc.)

Transportation & Ethics It is recommended you add an umbrella policy to your car insurance to ensure you have adequate insurance coverage in the event of an accident. Never let your car insurance lapse and continue to transport children. Immediately report any accidents, no matter how minor, to your BHCS Director, the child’s DCF worker, and the child’s primary caregiver. Also complete a written incident report.

Thank you for participating in this training module! Be sure to take the accompanying quiz Address any questions or concerns you may have with your BHCS Clinical Supervisor, the Agency Director, or the agency Training Coordinator/Developer