Thursday, September 21 – Focus on INSTALLATION
What: Installing the car seat or booster seat in the vehicle correctly
Why: It is estimated that 46 percent of car seats on America’s roads are installed incorrectly (NCRUSS, 2015).
A car seat that is incorrectly installed will not provide optimal protection in a crash situation, and may put
your child’s safety at risk. While great strides have been made in reducing child fatalities and injuries since
the 1970s, over half of children killed are either improperly restrained or completely unrestrained (FARS,
2015). Car seats can be installed with either the seat belt or the lower anchors, and forward facing seats
should always utilize the tether. Seat belts in vehicles made after model year 1996 will have a locking mechanism,
which enables the seat belt to be locked to install car seats. This is most often achieved by a locking
latchplate or switching the retractor into locking mode order to lock the seat belt. Lower anchors are standard
in vehicles manufactured after 2002, and are generally U-shaped metal anchors that are located in the bight
(crack) of the vehicle seat. Current car seats come equipped with lower anchor webbing and attachments,
which when threaded through the correct belt path and securely fastened onto the anchors create a secure
installation for that car seat. While the systems are different, they are equally safe, and it’s recommended to
use the seat belt or lower anchors – but NOT both. Most car seats have not been tested with both systems
used together, so please consult both the vehicle owner’s manual and car seat instructions for help. Tether
non-use in forward-facing car seat installation is one of the most common installation errors, yet correct use
can significantly decrease the risk of head injuries in a crash.