| Update: Please note: We would like to thank you, our consumers, for your patience. The U.S. Department of Transportation is currently undergoing a database migration process and additionally, we underwent staff personnel changes that interrupted the high level of service that we provide. We appreciate your comments and we are working diligently to respond to each and every inquiry in a timely fashion. Standard General Response: Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Transportation's Buckle Up America & Boosterseat.gov websites. We have received your email and it has been forwarded to the appropriate NHTSA subject matter expert. However, if you need additional information on our services please feel free to contact us at 1-202-366-9550. Thank you, Disclaimer: "This response is for information purposes only and does not constitute an official communication of the U.S. Department of Transportation.” For an official response, please write U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.
Interested in Advertising and Marketing Opportunities with the USDOT and Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Transportation's Buckle Up America & Boosterseat.gov websites. Your feedback is very important to us. Please forward your proposals to buckleup@nhtsa.dot.gov and your proposal will be forwarded to the appropriate personnel. Interested in Volunteering? Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Transportation's Buckle Up America & Boosterseat.gov websites. Your feedback is very important to us. Visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov , select “About NHTSA”, and choose “Regional Offices” to determine what your respective states have planned in your area. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has 10 Regional offices that work on the agency's mission to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic related healthcare and other economic costs. Each Regional office provides numerous services to its states, as well as other public and private sector customers. These services include, but are not limited to, technical assistance, promoting legislation, administering the agency's grant fund programs, assisting in coalition building and delivering training. Materials Request Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Transportation's Buckle Up America & Boosterseat.gov websites. Your feedback is very important to us. Please allow 3-5 business days to receive your materials by mail and/or email pending that the materials are in our stock and inventory. Click It or Ticket (CIOT): Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of Transportation's Buckle Up America & Boosterseat.gov websites. Your feedback is very important to us. The Click It Or Ticket campaign is designed to encourage proper safety belt and child safety seat use in the United States . The campaign runs from May 21- June 3, 2007. The crackdown is about preventing tragedies through awareness, strong laws and highly visible enforcement of those laws. “Click It or Ticket” is conducted by NHTSA with support from the National Safety Council's Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign and in conjunction with law enforcement agencies, state highway safety offices, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Please note that this is just a sample of the typical questions that we receive at the agency, if your question or concern is not addressed here – feel free to contact us via email buckleup@nhtsa.dot.gov or call 202.366.9550. Thank you for your time. Q: My son is really tired of being in any kind of baby seat. Is it really that big of a deal that he rides in a booster seat, now that he's five? A: Yes it is a big deal for safety! For example, one study showed that children ages 2 to five that are moved to safety belts too early are four times more likely to sustain a serious head injury than those restrained in booster seats. In fact, according to a recent study by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , the use of belt-positioning booster seats lowers the risk of injury to children by nearly 60 percent compared with the use of safety belts alone.
Q: My daughter is 8 months old and already weighs 20 pounds. Can I turn her child safety seat forward facing? A: Not yet! Keeping babies rear facing for as long as possible provides maximum safety benefits. Be sure to check with your child seat instruction booklet for weight and height limits. NHTSA, along with other safety organizations and the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that infants ride rear-facing until they are at least one year old and at least 20 pounds. Babies who weigh over 20 pounds before age one should continue to ride rear-facing in a child safety seat that is approved for higher weight babies until the baby is at least a year old. Remember to follow the seat manufacturer's instructions.
Q: My neighbor told me that my car seat was recalled. Now I'm afraid to use it. If she hadn't told me about it, I'd still be using it and I could have hurt my daughter. A: All new car seats come with a registration form that you should definitely fill out and return to the manufacturer. If you've lost your form, you can go to the NHTSA website at www.nhtsa.gov and download a copy. This form is used in case the manufacturer needs to send you a notice of a recall. Keep in mind that not all recalls are due to a safety problem. Sometimes a mistake in labeling can prompt a recall. Be sure to get the information and follow the guidance provided by the manufacturer. You may want to periodically check the web at: www.odi.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/recalls/childseat.cfm for information on recalls or call NHTSA's Auto Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.
Q: My brand new car has side air bags in the rear seat. I thought that's where the kids are supposed to sit. But I'm also told to keep children away from airbags. So where should my two kids sit? A: There are a few types of side airbags presently in vehicles. Probably the most common types are called head curtain air bags or roof-mounted air bags. NHTSA has not seen any indication of risks to children from the current generation of roof-mounted side air bags. But if you're worried, contact your manufacturer for guidance on installing a seat in the vehicle with side air bags. You should go to our website: www.safercar.gov and read the brochure “ Buying a Safer Car for Child Passengers,” which offers additional information.
Q: I usually don't read the manufacturer's instructions. I feel better if I have my car seat installed at one of these inspection stations, where the police officers do it. A: It's important to read both the seat manufacturer's instructions and the section of your vehicle owner's manual that deals with car seat installations. There are many inspection stations around the country staffed by people trained to help parents install seats. But they'll come a time when you will need to either move the seat to another vehicle, or re-install it for some other reason. And you'll need to know how to do it yourself.
Q: I'm so confused. I came back from the store empty-handed, because they had so many different seats that I didn't know which kind to get or which was the safest. Could you please tell me the best seat to buy??? A: If you visit the NHTSA website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps , you'll find lots of information on child safety seat installation tips, product ratings, and recall information. You'll also find someone in your local area to help you install your child safety seat. The best car seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle and which you'll use every time you travel with your child. It doesn't have to be the most expensive one. In the meantime, following general steps should help:
The most important thing to remember is to always read the instructions that come with your car seat and the vehicle owner's manual.
Q: I was in a fender bender accident last week and fortunately both my daughter and I are fine. However, my husband insists that I throw out the child safety seat, which we just bought three weeks ago. He said he heard you can't use a child seat that's been in an accident. The seat looks fine. But I never want to take chances with my child's' safety. What should I do? A: Current research shows that child safety seats are very strong and will continue to provide high levels of protection for your child even after being involved in a minor crash. However, note I use the word minor . NHTSA has established several criteria to help parents determine what is meant by a minor crash. For a crash to be considered minor, all of the following must apply:
If you are still unsure, contact your auto insurance company about its policy on replacement of seats. NHTSA also recommends that parents and caregivers check with the child seat manufacturer regarding the performance of the child safety seat.
Q: Why is it that my kids have to buckle up in the car, but then they get on a large school bus and there aren't any belts? A: We at NHTSA hear this question a lot. Fortunately, school buses are the safest form of transportation – even safer than walking! A report by NHTSA found that lap belts used in combination with a shoulder belt “could provide some benefit, unless misused.” Basically because of the design of the large school bus (larger, sturdier, high padded seats) NHTSA has concluded that safety belts would not really enhance the safety of children and in some cases could be problematic, if for instance children put the shoulder portion of a safety belt under the arm or behind them. The National Transportation Safety Board says school buses are so safe because of their large size and design improvements over the past few decades. It says that seat belts could harm more children than they would save.
Q: Which is safer--the new “LATCH” system for installing child safety seats, or the older system? A: The safest system is one that holds your child's safety seat in place properly and securely. This could be the new LATCH system, which stands for “Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children” that doesn't require the use of a vehicle's belt system, or the older system, which uses safety belts to secure the child. If either your car or your child safety seat don't have LATCH components, you can still safely install the child seat using the safety belt.
Q: I read somewhere that the babies should be placed in the car seat without their winter coats. That doesn't seem right to me when it's cold. A: To keep your baby the safest, always remove bulky clothing or blankets before you place the child in the seat. Then, put the blanket or coat over the baby. You should never place anything thick underneath the baby, unless that item came with the car seat originally—which tells you it's been tested by the manufacturer. When a child is wearing a thick coat, it's hard to tell if you have a good harness fit, which is crucial. A coat can add a lot of slack, reducing the level of protection for your child in a crash.
Q: I know people say the back seat is the safest place for a baby. But I have a newborn and I'm the only adult in the car, so I prefer to have him in the front seat so I can watch him. My car is old so I don't have airbags. So is using the front seat okay in my case? A: Not really. Babies, in fact all children (and adults too), are safest when seated in the rear. If your baby is correctly placed in a properly installed car seat, he'll be fine. If you're still worried, however, you could make periodic stops and check on him.
Q: I know the newer cars have high-tech air bags, so does that mean it's fine to put kids in the front? A: No, even with the advances in frontal air bags, infants in rear-facing seats should never be positioned in front of an airbag. In fact, the best thing parents can do to ensure the safety of their children at any age is to have them safely secured at all times in the back seat.
Q: For years, I've struggled with car seats that were hard to install in some vehicles. There must an easier way! A: Yes, there is. In 2002, a new installation system known as “LATCH,” which stands for “Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children,” was developed to help make the process easier. Basically, this new installation system doesn't require the use of a vehicle's safety belts to install a child safety seat. The vehicle has a separate system that works with a corresponding system on the child seat.
Q: Please tell me the best car seat to buy to keep my son safe? A: The best and safest car seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle and is one you will use every time you travel with your baby.
Q: Can't the government come out with a way to let us know which seats work in all cars? A: Unfortunately, not at this time. There are hundreds of child safety seats on the market and hundreds of different vehicle models, resulting in thousands of possible configurations for installations. The good news is that most stores are very understanding when it comes to ‘trying' out your purchase and bringing it back if it doesn't fit. Also there are several thousands inspection stations across the country where people can go for expert assistance with installation questions. You can find help by going to the NHTSA website at www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps
Q: Do you folks at NHTSA have any information for consumers on which child safety seats are the easiest to install? A: Yes, absolutely. NHTSA developed the “Ease of Use Rating System” for this purpose. Each year, child safety seats are rated in five different categories and this information is available on one of the agency's websites: www.safercar.gov . There you can also find NHTSA's online brochure called “ Buying a Safer Car for Children 2005.” This publication lists the various features and options that families may wish to consider when making a car purchase.
Q: The seat belts in our SUV don't fit our 7-year-old daughter very well. So we bought this product at a local store that's supposed to make the belt fit her better. Is this a good idea? A: I'm glad you asked that question! First of all, most 7-year-old children should be riding in booster seats. NHTSA recommends that children remain in booster seats until they are at least 8 years old unless they are 4'9” tall. If a safety belt cuts across a child's neck or rides up on her tummy, she needs to be in a booster seat. We call items like the one you mentioned “after-market products.” NHTSA doesn't regulate after-market products. That means they're not tested against any government standards. We can't recommend them because they could have a negative effect on the workings of the safety belt. Remember that it's always important to read the instructions on child seat use that come in your vehicle owner's manual and also follow the instructions that came with any child restraint you buy at a store.
Q: My kids are 6 and 9 and I bought booster seats for them. But I can only use the booster seats if I put them up front. That's because my car only has lap belts in the back seat. What should I do? A: I understand your dilemma. NHTSA believes that children ages 12 and under are safest when properly buckled in the rear seat. But by “properly buckled,” the agency means that the child is secured in a lap and shoulder belt holding the booster or, if appropriate, in safety belts alone. You do have a few options. There are some products on the market that accommodate weights up to 100 pounds with a harness strap (which means you can use just a lap belt in this case). You could also look into safety restraint vests that are designed to work with the lap belt and a tether. Information on these options can be found by going to the NHTSA website at www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps Another option is to contact the dealer about retrofitting shoulder belts in the rear seat. Recently, NHTSA announced a rule that requires rear center seats in all new passenger vehicles to be equipped with lap/shoulder safety belts. It will be a few years (2008) before all vehicles must comply. But already many newer cars do have three-point belts in all seating positions.
Q: I see a lot of babies in car seats. It looks like almost every kid is buckled up nowadays? A: If only they all were! The younger the child, the better the chance that he or she will be buckled up. In fact, an estimated 99 percent of infants (under age one) are riding restrained, and 94 percent of toddlers. But then the number drops to 83 percent for children age's four to seven. And NHTSA estimates that only 10 to 20 percent of children who should be in booster seats are in them.
Q: With all the media hype in the past about front air bags being dangerous for children, why are automakers now putting side airbags in cars? A: Side airbags can provide significant safety benefits to adults in side-impact crashes. NHTSA regulates frontal airbags because the agency requires them. But NHTSA doesn't regulate side airbags. However, NHTSA staff members investigate crashes involving side airbag deployment in order to provide information to consumers. So far, about 90 cases have been studied, with just six involving children. No moderate or serious injuries to children have been noted. NHTSA will continue to monitor the “real world” performance of side airbags and keep the public informed on its findings.
Q: Do all the states have the same laws about child restraint use? A: While all fifty states have child restraint laws, there are many variations on age requirements, fines and exemptions. NHTSA strongly recommends that state child restraint laws should require children from birth to 16 be properly restrained in child safety seats, booster seats or safety belts, depending on their age and size. The agency recommends that state laws require all children age 12 and younger to be properly restrained in a rear seating position. The laws should ban passengers from the cargo area of pickup trucks. They should hold drivers responsible for making sure kids are restrained. And they should limit the number of passengers to the number of available safety belts in the vehicle.
Q: What's the biggest danger facing our children today? A: Well, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children of every age from 2 through 14. In our country alone, an average of 6 children under 15 are killed and almost 700 are injured every day in motor vehicle crashes. Please note that this is just a sample of the typical questions that we receive at the agency, if your question or concern is not addressed here – feel free to contact us via email buckleup@nhtsa.dot.gov or call 202.366.9550. Thank you for your time. |