Helpful Guides to Child Car Seat Safety

Keep Small Children Out Of Front Seats

A right of passage for many children is being “big enough to ride in the front.” At the same time, airbags can seriously injure or kill young children riding in the front seat. Avoid emphasizing this right of passage. Until the child is of sufficient size and weight, the safest place for your child is the center back seat, using an appropriate car seat or booster that actually fits your child. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death among children.  Further, CDC studies show that car seat use reduces the risk of injury in a crash by 71 to 82 percent for children when compared with seat belt use alone.

Alaskan Law Regulates Car Seat Safety

AS 28.05.095 Use of Seat Belts and Child Safety Devices Required outlines the requirements for seat belt and car seat use in Alaska regardless of the vehicle occupant’s age.

Senate Bill No. 218 An Act Relating to Use of Child Safety Seats and Seat Belts defines changes to AS 28.05.095 to more clearly outline car seat requirements which keep our children safer.

Child safety seat and seat belt use are mandatory in Alaska. Following are basic criteria for safely securing children in Alaskan automobiles:

1.  Rear-Facing Car Seat: Children less than one-year-old, or children of any age weighing less than 20 pounds should be secured in a rear-facing car seat; 
2. Five Point Harness: Children one to four and weigh more than 20 pounds should be in a 5-point harness;
3. Car Seat /Booster Seat: Children four to seven, under 4’9” and weigh less than 65 pounds, should be in a car seat or booster seat; and 
4. AppropriateSeat Belt Use: Your children should remain in booster seats until your vehicle’s seat belt can appropriately fit them.

Install Car Seats Correctly

We can’t repeat too often that a child’s car seat must be correctly installed to work well. Carefully read your car seat installation instructions. Most manufacturers include a “Help-Line” number on the instruction manual. Use the instructions and the “Help-Line” number. The added security of a properly installed car seat – in the event of a motor vehicle crash – is worth the effort.  Need more information? The Alaska Child Passenger Safety Coalition (AIPC) shares Merdes Law Office‘s mission to protect children traveling Alaskan roads. Contact AIPC today for information on education to help you select and install your child’s car seat.

The Merdes Law Firm has been helping injured Alaskans for more than 30 years. It’s who we are. And while we hope you never need us… We’re here if you do.

Contributing Research: Megan Fortuno