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ROSWELL, Ga. - It's Child Passenger Safety Week, and one of the biggest ways to keep your child safe is to make sure their car seat is installed properly. Safe Kids has been asking parents and caregivers what they know about car seats, and it turns out, 60 percent of them aren't using the rear tether.
The rear anchor has been required in vehicles since 2001. The rear tether anchors behind the seat for a forward facing seat, and helps prevent the car seat from slamming forward during a crash.
Although most parents are confident their child's seat is installed correctly, Safe Kids says they find 4 out of 5 car seats are actually in wrong.
AAA says 26 percent of kids ages 4 to 7 were also moved to seat belts when they should be still riding in booster seats.
A few other reminders from Safe Kids:
- Make sure the seat can't move more than half an inch side to side or up and down
- Do the "pinch test" to make sure the straps aren't too tight or too loose
- Be sure the harness clip on their chest is at their armpits, not lower or higher
"You invest in your child's seat to keep you safe, but you have to bear in mind, it cannot do its job if it's not installed correctly," explains Roswell Fire Lieutenant Chris Cooper.
It's also important for your child to be in the right car seat, according to their height and weight and that you keep your child rear facing until at least 2 years old, or when they grow out of the rear-facing seat.
You can make an appointment through Safe Kids at a local fire department and have them check your car seat. They are trained and say don't be embarrassed to come and make sure your child is safe.
A link for more information: http://safekidsgeorgia.org/carseats/