Important Car Seat Info everyone should read!

I am so tired of hearing of innocent children not living to see their next birthday,not making it to school, not experiencing childhood because their parents just didn't care or didn't know about keeping them safe in the car.
So here is my way of getting the info out.
So please read this and make sure your kiddos are safe as possible in the car.

Make sure any child under 1 is rear-facing until 1 yrs AND 20lbs. The American Academy of Pediatrics, NAHSTA and Safe Kids all recommend rear-facing to the limit on your convertible car seat (a seat that rear-faces and forward-faces). Here is a video on rear-facing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo

A child should remain in a 5-point harness until at least 4 years and 40lbs. Even at 4 years some children are not mature enough to understand how to sit in a booster. A child that cannot sit still, cannot keep the seatbelt in front of them and cannot sleep sitting straight up is at a serious risk of being paralyzed or even lifted and ejected from the car...
Here is a video of a little 3 year old named Belle. Her parents believed she was ready for a booster and found out the hard way that she was not ready.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo8vVi04

A child should remain in a booster until age 8, or 4'9". Here is a test to see if your child is ready to use the regular adult belt. If you cannot answer yes to all 5 then your child needs a booster:
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Is the lap belt touching the top of the thighs, not the tummy?
4. Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
BELT-POSITIONING BOOSTERS CAN NOT be used with only a lap belt! (See your car dealer for a lap/shoulder belt retrofit.)
Here is a link with more info on boosters:
http://people.delphiforums.com/SKATERBABS/5steptest.html

Okay now to how the carseat is used in your vehicle.
94% of carseats are not installed correctly. That is a high number.
A carseat should be installed using either the LATCH or seatbelt but not both. A carseat should be so tight it doesn't move more then an inch at the beltpath. If it moves put your knee in it and push down on it while tightening the seatbelt or LATCH.
READ YOUR MANUAL. It will help you.
If tether is available tether your carseat. BRITAX and RADIANS are the only seats that allow rear-facing tethering. This is added protection for your child.

The straps should be snug on your child. You CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be able to pinch the harness. If you can the harness is too lose and you need to tighten it.
When rear-facing the harness should be AT or BELOW your child's shoulders. When foward-facing it should be AT or JUST ABOVE your child's shoulders.
The harness should not be twisted. This takes away from the strength of the harness.

Most carseats expire at 6 years. They should be destroyed and no longer used once they expire. The plastic wears down over time and can cause the car seat to fail fatally in a crash.
If you are in a wreck your carseat MUST be replaces. Hairline fractures that are not visible to the eye can cause the carseat to fail in a future crash. Most insurance company will now replace your carseat when involved in the tiniest crash.

I wanted to share a story with you. It hit close to home because this family was from our base. The father was in Dallas in the hospital. He was injured in Iraq and recovering from brain injuries.
His wife and 3 children (ages 2, 5, and 9) were driving from El Paso to Dallas to see their Daddy. The mom was going through the mountains when a gust of wind caused her to lose control of their SUV (the wind there is horrible). The SUV flipped 4 times. The 2 year old and 5 year old were killed instantly. The 9 year old boy was flown to San Antonio where he had SEVERE brain trauma. The mom was unharmed minus a few bumps and bruises. A few weeks later the 9 year old died.
They lost all 3 of their children. The reason is because the mother thought it would be okay for her 5 and 9 year old to be able to sleep without their seatbelt on. The 2 year old was in an improperly installed carseat. When the SUV flipped the 5 and 9 year old were thrown around the back like rag dolls. The hit the 2 year old and killed him. It also killed the other 2.
The mom was unharmed because she was wearing her seatbelt. The headrest on her seat and the passenger seat stopped her 2 children from flying up and hitting her.
Had the situation been different and the 2 year old properly restrained, the 5 year old in a booster and the 9 year old in a seatbelt this lady would have all 3 of her children. Instead she is having to bury them.

Seth is 24m. He is 22lbs and 33". He is still rear-facing and will be until he is 3 or 3.5.
Johnathon is 6 years old. He is 42lbs and 47". He is still in a 5-point harness. He will outgrow it soon and go to a booster where he will be until he can pass the 5-step test.