FIVE TIPS FOR SAFER CHILD SAFETY SEAT USE! | MCLARTY DANIEL BUICK GMC

While Buick and GMC have been at the forefront of making vehicles safer for decades, we can all do better when it comes to vehicle safety, and nowhere is that goal more important than when it comes to our kids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading preventable cause of death for children between the ages of 1-13.

While child safety seat technology has advanced by leaps and bounds over the past 20 years, even the best car seat won’t work as designed if it isn’t installed and fitted properly to your child. Even for seasoned parents, properly installing and fitting a car seat can be something of a mystery.

With that in mind, read on for McLarty Daniel Buick GMC’s five car seat tips to help keep your littlest passengers safe. Together, we…

can do more to keep everyone safer on the highway.

1) KEEP CHILDREN REAR-FACING AS LONG AS YOU CAN: When you’re on a trip, everybody likes to see where you’re going. But when it comes to children and car seats, a rear-facing position is the safest and best is bad turns to worse. With that in mind, your child should stay rear facing until they are at least two years old and longer if their height will permit it.

2) WHEN THEY DO FACE FORWARD, USE A TETHER STRAP AND ANCHOR POINT: Like all vehicles sold in the U.S. since 2000, all four-door 2020 Buick and GMC vehicles feature heavily-anchored tether points in at least three positions in the rear seat that can be used to attach a child safety seat when it faces forward. In the event of a collision, using a tether and anchor point can decrease the amount your child’s head can move, preventing brain injuries.

3) USE THE RIGHT HARNESS STRAP SLOTS: In the back of the car seat, there are usually six slots that allow the chest harness to be moved up and adjusted as your child grows. Using the right slot is crucial to your child’s safety. In rear-facing seats, use the slots located at or just under the height of the child’s shoulders. In a forward-facing seat, use the slot located at or above the child’s shoulders.

4) MAKE SURE THE HARNESS STRAPS ARE SNUG: Kids may not like having their car seat straps snugged up, but it is crucial to their safety. With the child buckled in place, pinch the straps on each side at the child’s shoulders. If there’s any slack, the straps are too loose and should be adjusted.

5) MAKE SURE THE STRAP RETAINER CLIP IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE: While that rectangular plastic clip that holds the chest straps in place doesn’t look like much, it’s a lot more than decorative and important to safety in a crash. The clip should never be placed over the child’s stomach or up near his or her throat. Instead, always place it at armpit level, with each strap flat and untwisted in the clip.

Car seats are always a pain in the keister for everybody involved, but they save lives. By following these simple tips, you can make sure your child’s car seat functions as it was engineered in a collision, turning what could have been a tragedy into a near miss. Worried your vehicle might not be safe enough for your most precious cargo? Stop in today at McLarty Daniel Buick GMC to check out our selection of beautiful, safety-rated vehicles today, or shop us online right now.

Posted in Service & Maintenance | No Comments »