Child seats have been designed specifically keeping a toddler’s safety in mind. However, thanks to continued innovation, there’s rapid development in the way child seats have taken shape over the years.
This has rendered some of the older designs obsolete when it comes to child car seats, which is why buying a used piece isn’t the smartest decision.
It’s also unwise to ignore one. Kids need to be strapped in safely in a moving vehicle and as parents, you are responsible for getting the right car seat for them.
As per data shared for the first six months of 2019, a total of 104 children below the age of 12 years had been injured in 90 traffic accidents in Singapore. These numbers are rising every year. However, a lot of these injuries are avoidable by taking the necessary precaution by selecting the right car seat.
For newer parents, it may seem like a daunting task to select the right one for your child. There are various brands available in the market that promise a whole lot of protection and more. But do remember, you should be finalising on a car seat depending on your child’s age, size, and also developmental requirements.
Here’s a list of car safety facts that you need to keep in mind when you have your baby on board.
Car Seat Safety Facts: Experts Warn Against Safety Add-Ons
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Experts are warning against the use of any car seat add-ons that are particularly aimed at preventing “slumping” in infants. This means you do not add more accessories like cushions or pillows with the car seat.
As a parent of a newborn, it can be quite concerning to see your baby slump over in their car seat. This may even prompt you to buy a product to help prevent slumping. But it’s not a safe decision.
Injury prevention specialist, Erin Baughn clearly mentions that parents should avoid buying all kinds of these products if it has not come along with the car seat. She explains that while it may look uncomfortable to see the baby’s head “flopping,” it is actually completely safe as long as the baby can control its head.
Car Seats Safety Tests Happen Only With Accessories Part Of The Package
Parents also need to remember that when manufacturers test car seats for safety, they only test them with accessories that come with the package.
If you choose to buy an accessory that is not part of the car seat, it can interfere with the way the car seat needs to function in the case of an accident.
Think of it as adding a bull bar to your vehicle’s bumper. While the bull bar will protect your bumper from scratches, it also renders the safety sensors for the airbags obsolete.
So, there’s a risk that airbags won’t deploy in the event of a crash. That’s why automakers discourage the use of such accessories.
Similarly, when the car seat has been installed safely, parents don’t need to worry about adding accessories for the comfort of their baby. Moreover, your kids are safe and they are not at the risk of positional asphyxiation.
Car Seat Safety Facts: Using It For Newborn Vs Older Kids
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In most cases, the slumping head is a recurring issue with toddlers or children in their pre-school years. But when it comes to newborns, babies do not have the neck strength to control their heads.
Car seats for infants automatically offer support and cradle babies’ heads when they are asleep. They’ve been designed that way.
Baughn tells Today that it’s important to check if the car seats have been installed correctly. They need to be rear-facing for those babies who do not have head control.
Experts feel that older kids’ heads should be free in their car seats, especially in case of an accident.
Any attempt to hold back their heads can cause devastating injuries. This also helps protect the child from whiplash and an external force in the event of a crash.
Risk Of Add-Ons In Car Seats For Infants
Parents may end up buying head support headbands or straps to help their babies. While these may be intended to let the child rest comfortably in the car seats, they pose a big risk to the kid’s safety.
As Courtney Gleaton, injury prevention coordinator while speaking to TODAY pointed out, “These little headbands can slide down and be a choking hazard. They can even cover a child’s nose and mouth, thus causing suffocation. All these add-ons can be extremely dangerous for the child in case of an accident.”
While parents feel that they are helping their children by buying such products but in reality, the risk increases manifold.
Gleaton shares, “Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the death in as much as 71 per cent. In fact, just using it the right way can reduce the risk of death.”
Parents do take note, the Singapore Police Force and Traffic Police take road safety rules seriously. And so should you!
A child car seat is a one-time purchase and parents need to look at it as an investment made towards the safety of their baby. It’s as important as a safety rating if not more and will only keep your mind at peace.
Drive safely!
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