Choosing a Car Seat: A Few Tips from Your Tampa Auto Accidents Attorney

Have you ever gone into a store to purchase a child's car seat? The selection alone can be overwhelming. Walking down the store's long aisle, you'll see dozens of different styles, colors, and brands to choose from.

As a parent, your first consideration is buying the safest car seat possible. To help you in your car seat buying mission, consider the following information from Tampa auto accidents attorney Dale Appell, P.A.

First, it is helpful to understand that child car seats are generally categorized into the appropriate age, height, and weight of children who are using them. Some examples include:

1. The infant rear-facing car seat is for babies under the age of one year and under 20 pounds.
2. The convertible seat is a rear-facing seat for children less than one year old and weighing 20-35 pounds. It can also be used as a forward-facing seat when your child is more than one year old, up to 40 pounds, and up to 43 inches tall.
3. The forward-facing seat is for children more than one year old, up to 40 pounds, and up to 43 inches tall.
4. The high-back booster/harness is for children from 1-4 years old and from 20-40 pounds.

Once you decide which type of car seat your child should use, the following are some tips that may help you in purchasing a car seat that suits your needs:

• Ask the store if you can test a car seat to see how it fits in your car. Does the seat lie flatly and snugly in all your car seats?
• Test the latches and locks. Are they easy to open and close?
• If the seat is too easy to latch and unlatch, this could be a bad sign. You do not want your child to have the ability to unlatch the car seat.
• If the store allows it, let your child sit in the seat to make sure he or she will be comfortable.
• If the seat has a lot of metal pieces, these can become scorching hot in the Tampa, Florida sun and burn your child (or you).
• Look for convenience features like trays, cup holders, mesh bags, armrests, and toy attachments. These may make the car seat more appealing to you and your child.
• Ask about the store's return policy. You may find out after a few days that the car seat you chose is too heavy or difficult to operate.
• Once your child is old enough for a booster seat, don't be in a rush to get rid of it. Children can stay in booster seats to the age of 8 if they are 57 inches tall or less. A booster seat is safer than a seatbelt.
• One important note: never place a child under 12 years old in a passenger seat that has an air-bag. It may result in serious injury or death if you have an accident.
• Be careful in purchasing a used car seat. Check the label to make sure the seat was manufactured after Jan. 1, 1981, the date upon which stringent federal safety standards were enacted. Do not buy a used seat if you cannot find the manufacturing label.
• Do not buy a used car seat that is more than 10 years old, has any broken parts, or has been in a car accident.
• Check car seat recall information with websites for the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Always follow the instructions, age limits, height limits, and weight limits on the car seats you use.

Purchasing a car seat is an important decision that should be researched thoroughly. No one expects to be in an auto accident in Tampa Bay, Florida or anywhere else, but the possibility is always there. Make sure you and your family members are prepared to be safe on the road. Adults should wear their seatbelts while babies, toddlers and small children must always be properly buckled into a federally approved car seat.