| Do you always make sure that your kids are properly | | | | - Choose a seat that will fit a number of vehicles and |
| strapped into their car seats or seat belts before you | | | | is easy to use. NHTSA has rated nearly 95% of the |
| hit the road? If you said yes, don't be so sure. Although | | | | seats available to consumers based on their ease of |
| 96% of adults think they properly install car seats, | | | | use. To view their rankings, visit NHTSA's website at |
| more than 80% of all child safety seats are not | | | | Universal Child Restraint System Provides Added |
| installed correctly. (Source: National Highway Traffic | | | | Assurance The United States is the first country to |
| Safety Administration) | | | | adopt universal, uniform anchor system for child |
| Here are some tips for purchasing your car seat. | | | | restraints. The new standard includes the Lower |
| Keep the following points in mind: | | | | Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system. |
| - Buy a car seat that meets Federal Motor Vehicle | | | | This standard system provides caregivers added |
| Safety Standards. For an annual car safety guide that | | | | assurance that the car seat is installed correctly. The |
| includes a list of these seats, visit the American | | | | LATCH safety device allows child restraint systems to |
| Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) website at | | | | be anchored more securely than is possible with |
| - Make sure that the car seat has not been recalled | | | | current safety belts. Cars manufactured since |
| by calling the National Highway Traffic Safety | | | | September 2002 have the LATCH system. Check |
| Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 or by | | | | with your vehicle's manufacturer to see if the LATCH |
| checking the U.S. Consumer Product Safety | | | | system may be installed in an older model car. If |
| Commission's Web site (link to this site is located within | | | | purchasing a new car safety seat, you may want to |
| the AAP website). | | | | buy one that is compatible with the LATCH system. |