Four in Five Parents Incorrectly Install Car Seats

On July 13, shortly before sunrise, Alfonso Beltran, his girlfriend and her three-year-old daughter were driving through an intersection at Van Buren and 67^th Avenue in Phoenix when two teens ran a red light at full-speed and broadsided Beltran’s Suburban.

The Suburban went flying through the intersection, ending crumpled against a pole. During the crash, the three-year-old was thrown from her car seat out of a window. She remains in critical condition at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

This tragic accident is just one example of the devastating impact that the improper use of a car seats and child restraints can have. If your child has been injured, do not hesitate to contact our auto accident lawyers. Call 1-800-706-3000 for a free consultation.

According to repeated surveys and medical studies, about four out of five parents do no correctly install car seats. Improper use of car seats is the number one cause of child deaths across the country. Furthermore, Hispanic and Native American parents are less likely than others to buy and properly use a car seat.

Car seats, booster seats and other forms of child safety restraints are important safety devices for children. According to state data, last year, an unrestrained child under the age of five was more than 31 times more likely to die in a car accident.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, parents should keep their children in the safest type of car seat for the longest time possible: until their child reaches the maximum size and weight.

Typically, a child should stay in a rear-facing car seat from birth through three-years-old, unless they grow out of it before then. Forward-facing car seats could be appropriate for children between the ages of one and seven-years-old. A booster seat should then be used once your child has out-grown a front-facing car seat. A child should not be allowed in the seat on their own until the seatbelt properly falls on the top of their thighs and does not rub their neck or head.

If you have been involved in an accident where your child was injured, our auto accident lawyers have years of experience and can help you get the justice you deserve. Complete a free case evaluation form to get started. For help with your claim, contact a Phoenix personal injury attorney at our firm by calling 1-800-706-3000 .

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