Car Seat Links
Importance of Rear-Facing Until 1 Year of Age AND 20 lbs.
Crash
Protection for Child Passengers, by Kathleen Weber
This wonderful 28-page article is an Adobe Acrobat file. If you don't have Acrobat, you can download it free from www.downloads.com. Just do a search for Adobe Acrobat. The article covers just about everything you want to know regarding car seat issues and seat belt use. It has crash test photos and drawings of children properly restrained in car seats and seat belts.
www.carseatdata.org
Interactive car seat compatibility database. This site helps you find a car seat that fits your car and has been expanded to include other information on child passenger safety.
www.car-safety.org/guide.html
This site has a description of car seat features and guidelines on what to look for in a car seat. Part of Car-Seat.Org—Carseat, Vehicle & Child Passenger Safety Forums.
www.aap.org/policy/re0116.html
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for counseling parents on which seat to choose and use.
www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm
The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide for Families.
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm
NHTSA's ease-of-use ratings for car seats.
www.cpsafety.com/articles/fivepointshield.aspx
Information on 5-point, overhead shield, and T-shield car seats.
Importance of Rear-Facing Until 1 Year of Age AND 20 lbs.
Child
Safety Seats: Rear-Face Until at Least One Year
This page has clear, concise explanations for why to keep babies rear-facing. Every parent
and caregiver should read it.
www.car-safety.org/rearface.html
This site has more information and links on rear-facing. Part of Car-Seat.Org—Carseat, Vehicle & Child Passenger Safety Forums.
www.aap.org/policy/re0116.html
The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines to selecting car seats. Advocates rear-facing until at least 1 year AND 20 lbs., preferably longer.
www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx
This site has information on the benefits of keeping a child rear-facing past age 1 and 20
lbs.
www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx
The Rear-Facing Photo Album: see children over age 1 who are still rear-facing (extended rear-facers)
www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=13&topic_id=44503&mode=full&page
This page has pictures showing the difference in spinal development between a 1 year old and a
6 year old.
www.carseat.org/Resources/633.pdf
SafetyBeltSafe USA's "How Long Should Babies Ride Facing the Back of
the Car?"
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868
MSNBC article that mentions that forward-facing children are 4 times more likely to be injured in a
side impact than rear-facing children.
http://boards.babycenter.com/bcus9421
BabyCenter Car Safety Tips bulletin board visited frequently by child passenger safety technicians.
http://car-seat.org
Discussion forum on car safety, child passenger safety, carseats and their safe installation. Buying advice and help for choosing new vehicles and car seats. Chat and blog about child seat issues with expert technicians and advocates.
www.aap.org/family/cps.htm
The American Academy of Pediatrics Child Passenger Safety page.
www.iihs.org/ratings/default.aspx
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety vehicle ratings. See how your vehicle rates in crash tests.
www.carseat.org
This SafetyBeltSafe USA site has general car seat info. The
Technical and
Recall sections are
outstanding.
www.inventiveparent.com/state-laws.htm
Inventive Parent list of state laws
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
NHTSA's online defect form for child restraints
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ChildRestraints/ReUse/
RestraintReUse.htm
NHTSA's position on replacing child restraints after minor crashes
Tether anchor help for Toyota/Toyota Sienna owners
www.car-safety.org/latch.html
Excellent explanation of the LATCH system for installing car seats and top tethers.
Part of Car-Seat.Org—Carseat, Vehicle & Child Passenger Safety Forums.
Safe Kids Worldwide Tech Finder
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/whatis/regions/index.cfm?fitting=yes
The NHTSA Child Seat Inspection Station Locator.
www.usa.safekids.org
The Safe Kids USA web site. Look for local checkup events or a local coalition here.
www.car-safety.org/latch.html
Excellent explanation of the LATCH system for installing car seats and top tethers.
Part of Car-Seat.Org—Carseat, Vehicle & Child Passenger Safety Forums.
www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#latch
SafetyBeltSafe USA information on LATCH.
www.carseat.org/Legal/622_Latch.htm
SafetyBeltSafe USA page on LATCH requirements.
www.saferidenews.com/pdfs/pg_126_max_wt_07.pdf
Safe Ride News table showing maximum lower LATCH anchor weights and top tether weights for most vehicle manufacturers.
The danger in flying comes from turbulence and hard landings/survivable crashes. Turbulence can't be seen or predicted, so you don't know when to grab and hold your child. Before you know it, the plane drops and your child has already hit the ceiling and been injured. In a survivable crash situation, can you really hold your child? Simply put, Force = Weight x Speed . If your child weighs 25 lbs. and the plane crashes at 130 mph, that translates to 3250 lbs. (25 lbs. x 130 mph = 3250 lbs.). Your child's car seat has a better chance at restraining your child than your arms in that situation. From a parental sanity point of view, it's easier to have your child restrained in a familiar car seat than to try to hold him/her and keep both of you happy for several hours.
http://www.carseat.org/Legal/0_legalIP.htm#aircraft
Links to print out for your next airplane trip.
www.cpsafety.com/articles/airplanetravel.aspx
An excellent page explaining why kids should ride in car seats on airplanes. Some good links
here.
www.aap.org/policy/re0101.html
AAP's statement on using child restraints on aircraft
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com/
A former flight attendant's tips on flying with children.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rC4Q3ofz7SI
United Flight 232 "Seconds From Disaster": what happened to the lap-held babies in this survivable crash
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
FAA's Child Safety on Airplanes
FAA's Advisory Circular on Use of Child Restraint Systems on Aircraft
Current memo covering history, proper labeling, type, installation, and use of child restraints on aircraft.
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/media/childsafety.pdf
FAA's Childproof Your Flight brochure
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/
FAA's FAQ on Flying with Children
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm
The TSA's page on traveling with children.
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/specialneeds/children.aspx
US Airways policy on flying with children
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm
Department of Transportation's aviation consumer complaint web page
Federal Aviation Regulation Sec. 125.211
Using child restraints on aircraft
www.travelsafer.org
RideSafe: Vehicle Safety for People Who Use Wheelchairs
www.carseat.org/Resources/173_spec_needs.pdf
Automobile Restraints for Children with Special Needs, from SafetyBeltSafe USA
www.snugseat.com
Snug Seat
www.adaptivemall.com/safetycarseats1.html
Adaptivemall.com sells a variety of special needs items, including car seats through small adult size
www.ezonpro.com
E-Z-On Vests and Harnesses
www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/service.jsp?id=27708
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
www.dustinsdinosaurs.net
Dustin's Dinosaurs
www.kidsandcars.org
Kids and Cars
www.kidsincars.org
Kids in Cars
www.usa.safekids.org
Safe Kids USA
www.carseat.org
SafetyBeltSafe USA
www.preventinjury.org
Automotive Safety Program, Riley Hospital