There are so many decisions to make – design, detail, direction, development; the list truly is endless. However, there is one thing that all parents can agree on – the safety of your child comes first.  

It all starts with the proper child safety seat.

Child safety seats are the last line of defense in keeping your child protected in the event of an accident and could save them from a multitude of injuries. Unfortunately, child safety seats are often misused.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 46 percent of car seats and booster seats are misused in a way that could reduce their effectiveness altogether. Car accidents are a leading cause of death for children ages one to 13. It is imperative to use and install the correct safety seat every time your child is in the car.

"The biggest and most important piece of advice I can give to parents is to purchase a seat that you feel confident installing correctly ever time," Rachael Spencer, Child Passenger Safety Technician - Instructor, said. "Every car seat is a little bit different. Be sure to read the car seat instruction manual and your vehicle's manual when it comes to car seat placement and installation instructions."

With that, there are four types of car seats. As children grow, how they sit in the vehicle will change. Be sure you use the correct seat that fits your child's current size, weight and age.

• These are also known as infant-only seats and are the safest. Experts recommend keeping your child in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible, up to the maximum height and weight limits of the seat. The seat should recline at about a 45-degree angle and should NEVER be placed in front of an airbag. The harness should be placed at the child's shoulder level or just below.
   

• Convertible Seat

• These are essentially two seats in one. These seats may face the rear or front of the vehicle. Children should face the rear until they reach the maximum height and weight listed on the seat for rear facing. Then, the seat can be turned around to face the front of the car. While forward-facing, the harness heights should set just above the child's shoulder level.
  
  

• These always face the front of the vehicle and are intended for children who are at least one year old and older and weigh 20 to 40 pounds. The combination seat can also convert into a belt-positioning booster seat when your child weighs at least 40 pounds or more and is at least four years of age. 
  
  

• These seats are meant for children who have reached the height and weight limits of their harnessed car seat and able to always remain sitting upright. They will not be ready to use a regular seat belt until they can sit upright in the vehicle seat with their knees comfortably bent, feet touching the floor and the shoulder belt strapped across their shoulder, not on their neck, usually around 4'9".
  
  

There are also seats and harnesses made specifically for children with special needs.

With so much information to retain just on car seats, it's hard to keep everything straight. Here are a few FACTS vs. FICTION trivia to bust some of those biggest car seat myths.

• Car seats expire. FACT

• Car seats do, in fact, have expiration dates. The reason being improved technology, changing safety standards, wearing down of materials over time, damage and recalls. In general, car seats expire between six and 10 years from the date of manufacture. The expiration date will be stamped in the plastic. 
  
  

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that car seats be replaced following a moderate or severe crash to ensure the proper protection for child passengers. To view the NHTSA Car Seat Re-use Recommendations, click here.
  
  

• As a rule, bulky clothing should NOT be worn in a car seat. In the event of a crash, the extra padding immediately flattens from the force, leaving extra space under the harness. A child can then slip through the straps and be thrown from the seat.
  
  

• The shoulder harness pinch test saves lives. If there is any slack in the shoulder harness, it needs tightening.
  
  

• The safest seat is not always the priciest. It is the one that fits the vehicle and child but also installed and used correctly. 
  
  

• Safe Kids of Vigo County, supported by Union Health, have certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to train parents and caregivers to select, install and adjust car seats and booster seats. For all your child safety restraint questions, please contact Safe Kids Vigo County 812.232.5190.
  
  

Always remember to Play it Safe!

This important safety message is brought to you by your Union Hospital Emergency Trauma Team.