Keep Your Child Safe with the Right Car Seat and Proper Maintenance

Finding the right car seat for your child and keeping up with regular maintenance on your car are important aspects of keeping you and your child safe. At Custom Complete Automotive, safety is our top priority and we pride ourselves in providing trusted and reliable service for you and your family.

Why are Car Seats Important?

Car seats are crucial as far as keeping children in their seats in the event of an accident, greatly reducing their risk of injury. Regular seat belts are sized for adults, making them unable to offer the same level of protection to children under eight years old. According the American Academy of Pediatrics, using a car seat can reduce a child's risk of injury or death by up to 70 percent.

Car Seat Regulations

A car seat’s number one job is to keep your child safe and there are several regulations that help consumers ensure that they are using safe, quality car seats. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 describes several safety regulations that manufacturers are required to follow, such as minimum standards regarding flammability, padding, buckle release pressure, and printing the date the seat was manufactured on the car seat. In addition, car seats should never be used after being involved in even a minor accident, which means that it is not a good idea to purchase a used seat.

Choosing the Right Car Seat

Parents should pay close attention to car seat standards to make sure that their child is using a car seat or booster seat that is appropriate for his or her height and weight.

• Babies and children under two years old should sit in rear-facing car seats, as long as they are under the seat's maximum weight.
• Children over the age of two and under 40 pounds should sit in front-facing car seats.
• Children over the age of four and over 40 pounds should use a booster seat until they are eight years old or 4’9” tall.

Car seats and booster seats are installed using the car's regular seat belts. Proper installation is a must, as car seats that are not installed correctly won’t provide the correct level of protection needed. Choosing the correct car seat for your child and keeping up regular maintenance on your car are two very important aspects in keeping both you and your family safe. For more information or to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive, contact us today!