Is your child in the right car seat? You can find out at the BuckleUp Boro Child Safety Seat Checkpoint on Friday, July 9.
The checkpoint will take place in the front parking lot of the Murfreesboro Police Department headquarters building located at 1004 N. Highland Ave. from 2 – 4 p.m.
Nationwide, eight out of 10 child safety seats are installed improperly.
Parents or caregivers of children with special medical or behavioral needs can be assisted at the checkpoint or by calling and setting an appointment.
For additional information, contact Sgt. Amy Denton at 629-201-5580 or email adenton@murfreesborotn.gov.
The American Association of Pediatrics recommends the following:
- Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
- Infants and toddlers should be rear facing until they reach the safety seat’s maximum weight. While the law allows them to be turned forward facing at 1 year, leaving them rear facing allows much more protection for their neck and back in the event of a crash. Their necks are not ready for the whip lash of a forward-facing position. Many parents feel this increases their chance at leg/ foot injuries but rarely does this occur and if it does, a leg or foot injury is not life threatening or life altering while a neck injury can be.
- A rear facing child safety seat should NEVER be placed in a front seat in front of an active airbag. This can result in the death of the child from the impact of the airbag.
- Children who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car seat should use a forward-facing seat with a harness as long as possible.
- When the children have outgrown the forward-facing seat limits for the car seat, they should use a booster seat until the lap and shoulder parts of the seat belt fit correctly.
- A booster seat should be used typically until a child has reached 4-feet 9-inches (145 cm) in height and are between eight and 12 years of age.
- All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.
When using the lower anchors (the metal anchors in the seat crease/ byte) the combined maximum weight of the child and the safety seat cannot exceed 65 pounds. When the child outgrows that limit the seat should be installed using the vehicle’s seatbelt. The child should still ride in the safety seat until he/ she reaches the safety seats weight limit.
Tennessee law required the absolute minimum of protections:
- Rear facing until 1 year of age or 20 pounds
- Forward facing in a safety seat ages 1-3 years and weight over 20 pounds
- Ages 4-8 in a belt positioning booster seat.
READ MORE: Be Smart About Your Infant and That Car Seat