RMC PAT Encourage Parents to Check Child Car Seats

This is Child Passenger Safety Week – and Regional Medical Center’s Parents as Teachers is doing their part to help parents make sure their kids’ are buckled in properly.

Parents as Teachers educator Keri Tauke says they routinely conduct car seat checks and often see some common mistakes.

She says most parents don’t realize the car seats have expiration dates.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Children should ride in the back seat through at least age 12.

• Set a good example. Always be consistent and wear your seat belt. Using your seat belt will strongly influence whether your child will buckle up.

• The life of a car seat typically ranges from 6-10 years. Be sure to identify the expiration date set by the manufacturer on the seat being used (typically found on the bottom of the seat).

• Recalls for child seat manufacturers for the past 10 years can be found on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website (nhtsa.gov/recalls#car-seats).

• Air bags can save lives of older children and adults, but they can also be fatal to young children when not seated correctly (especially in the front seat). Never place a rear-facing seat in a front seat near an air bag.

• Always read instructions provided by the vehicle and car seat manufacturers for properly securing children in all seating positions.

The RMC PAT team offers FREE car seat checks for anyone in the community. If interested, schedule an appointment by calling 563-927-7685 or email them at PATParentsasTeachers@regmedctr.org.

photo courtesy of RMC