At any one point in time I have little bits of information floating around in my head. I think that’s why I love Jeopardy so much. This is one bit I would like to share because I think it would be helpful to many people. Even if you don’t have kids hear me out because you may be responsible for buckling one in sooner or later.

When a child is REAR facing in a carseat the strap position, where they insert into the carseat back, should be at or BELOW the level of the child’s shoulders. 

When a child is FORWARD facing in a carseat the straps, where they insert into the carseat back, should be at or ABOVE the level of the child’s shoulders.

Why? If you are anything like me you want to know why. The most common type of crash is a front end crash. The rear facing child is thrown backwards towards the front of the car. If the straps are at or below the shoulders there is less distance for the body to travel and therefore less chance of injury.

Same reason for forward facing. The child’s body would be thrown forward, towards the front of the car, and the object is to prohibit movement of the child’s body. More movement equals more chance for whiplash or internal decapitation.

Also, the strap fabric should be tight enough so you CAN NOT pinch it together.

Lastly is the chest clip. It should be at armpit level. This decreases the tendency for slumping over and closing off the airway when asleep.

In my time as a nurse by far the most injuries in the emergency room and trauma were from car accidents. The worst of the worst were unrestrained passengers, so buckle up!