Bright Futures

I remember leaving the hospital after having my first child: I was equal parts excited and scared realizing I was officially a mom. I had been a car seat technician for almost two years when my son was born, and I felt confident installing his car seat just a few days before. But even after helping numerous families with their child’s car seats and giving them the confidence of proper installation, I felt an enormous responsibility when I was securing my newborn son in his car seat for the first time.

Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week is September 20 – 26, and although we may not be going out as much as before, I want to share a few things I’ve learned as a mom of two boys and as a car seat technician for six years:

• Not all car seats fit in all vehicles. When choosing a car seat, keep in mind your vehicle’s size and other passengers who ride in your car.
• Price is not always a good indicator of quality. Best practice is to keep children in a car seat that meets their age, weight, height and developmental needs and it is easy for you to use.
• Learn about your car seat and vehicle’s safety features. Check out your manuals and if in doubt, seek help from a certified car seat technician.
• Teach other caregivers who will be transporting your child about proper car seat installation and harness use.
• Things change constantly in the car seat world so make sure you are keeping up with new recommendations.

If you are wondering, we made it home safely that first day and my son is now in a forward facing car seat. He is buckling himself up and enjoys sharing the back seat with his little brother, who is in a rear-facing car seat. Our car rides are now a lot more fun!  

For more information on car seat safety visit our website, contact our Child Passenger Safety program at 602-933-3350 or check out our Car Seat Helper App. Search for “car seat helper” in the iTunes App Store and Google Play, available in English and Spanish.