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Child Passenger Child Passenger Safety Safety Simple pointers to keep Simple pointers to keep your children safe your children safe
Child Passenger Child Passenger SafetySafety
Simple pointers to keep Simple pointers to keep your children safeyour children safe
Illinois LawIllinois LawChild Passenger Protection ActChild Passenger Protection Act
Revised effective January 1, 2004Revised effective January 1, 2004
• IL law requires that all children under the age of 8 be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat. All children need to be restrained correctly whenever they ride in a motor vehicle-
Every trip, Every time!!!!!!!
Infant-only seatsInfant-only seats• The safest way for infants to ride is rear-facing in the back
seat. Rear-facing child safety seats protect the infant’s head, neck and back in a crash. The infant should ride rear- facing until at least 20 pounds AND one year of age, longer if possible to protect their developing muscles and bones.
• The baby's head must be at least one inch below the top of the child safety seat.
• The label on the child safety seat gives the upper weight limit of the child safety seat. Infant-only seats usually range from birth or five pounds to about 20 pounds.
• ALWAYS monitor the baby when he/she is in the infant-only seat. The infant-only child safety seat should not be used as a crib, and should NEVER be placed on a high table or unstable surface.
Infant-only SeatsInfant-only Seats• Keep harness strapsfastened snug on baby even when the child safetyseat is not being used in your vehicle.
• Harness straps should be at or below the baby’s shoulders
• Convertible child safety seats are designed for older babies and can be used rear–facing to higher weight limits, and then forward-facing
• Newer convertible child safety seats can be used rear-facing up to 30 or 35 pounds for children who are over 20 pounds, but less than one year of age. Some older models can only be used up to 20-22 pounds rear–facing. Always check the label and instructions for the rear–facing weight limit.
• If a baby under one year of age grows too tall or too heavy for an infant-only seat, a convertible seat with a higher rear-facing weight limit (over 22 pounds) is recommended.
• Convertible child safety seats may be turned around to face the front when
baby is over one year of age AND at least 20 pounds.• It is recommended that a child ride rear-facing as long as he/she fits in the
convertible child safety seat. This protects baby's fragile head, neck, and spinal cord. Follow the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions for rear-facing weight limits.
Convertible Seats (Toddler Seats)Convertible Seats (Toddler Seats)
Convertible seatsConvertible seats• A convertible child safety seat with a 5 point harness is
recommended over a convertible seat with a padded overhead shield for small infants. The shield comes up too high and may make proper adjustment of the harness difficult for a small infant.
• The harness straps are at or below the child’s shoulders for rear-facing, and at or above the shoulders for forward facing.
Forward-Facing onlyForward-Facing only• Forward-facing only seats are
designed for children who are over one year and over 20 lbs. The upper weight limit for this seat is usually 40 lbs. When the child reaches 40 lbs., you need to take out the harness straps and use the seat as a Belt Positioning Booster seat with the safety belt.
Forward Facing-onlyForward Facing-only
• Harness straps must be at or above the child’s shoulders.
BoostersBoosters • Safety belts are designed for small adults who are at least
80 pounds and 4 feet 9 inches tall. Until age eight, most children have not developed strong hipbones, and their legs and body are too short for the adult safety belt to fit correctly.
• A belt that rides up on the tummy could cause serious internal injuries to vital organs. Many young children do not sit still or straight enough to keep lap belts low across their thighs or the strong hip bones. The shoulder belt should never be placed behind a child’s back or under the arm. If this is done, your child could be seriously injured.
• Booster seats are comfortable for children because they allow their legs to bend normally and help them sit up straighter so the adult safety belt fits. Booster seats also allow kids to see out the window better.
• A booster seat must always be used with a combination lap/shoulder safety belt, never with a lap only safety belt.
Booster SeatsBooster Seats
Always buckle the booster seat whenthe child is not in it.A loose booster seat can injure others in a crash.
Installing child restraintsInstalling child restraints• ALWAYS read and follow the child safety seat
instructions and the vehicle owner's manual • Make sure you know how the safety belt/
LATCH system work in the vehicle in order to keep the child safety seat firmly attached to the vehicle. You can put your knee in the seat and pull the safety belt/LATCH tight.
• Log on to the IDOT Child Passenger Safety website at www.buckleupillinois.org in order to find a Child Passenger Safety technician in your area.
Safety beltsSafety beltsWhen is a Child Ready for an Adult Safety Belt? • Until age eight, most children have not developed strong hipbones, and their legs and
body are too short to allow the safety belt to fit properly. Safety belts are designed for small adults. The lap portion of the safety belt must fit low and tight across the upper thighs. The shoulder portion of the safety belt should rest over the center of the shoulder and across the chest.
To be able to fit in a safety belt, a child must pass this 5-step test: • Be tall enough to sit without slouching,• Keep his/her back against the vehicle seat back,• Keep his/her knees completely bent over the edge of the seat,• Keep his/her feet flat on the floor, and • Be able to stay comfortably seated this way for the entire trip.
• Never put the shoulder portion of the safety belt under the child's arm or behind the child's back. This can cause severe internal injuries in a crash. If the safety belt does not fit properly the child should use a belt-positioning booster seat.
• Always check how the safety belt fits on the child in every vehicle. A belt-positioning booster seat may be needed in some vehicles and not in others.
Friendly RemindersFriendly Reminders• WARNING: The back seat is the safest place
in the event of a crash. Children 12 and under should ride properly restrained in back.
• Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an active airbag.
• Children should remain rear-facing as long as possible and…
• EVERYONE needs to buckle up, every trip, every time!!!!!
Buckle Up—it saves lives!
ResourcesResources• www.buckleupillinois.org IL Dept. of Transportation, Child Passenger Safety
• www.nhtsa.dot.gov National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
• www.aap.org American Academy of Pediatrics
• www.safekids.org Safe Kids Worldwide
• www.boosterseat.gov Booster Seat information
Northwestern OP Coordinator Melanie Wingo
Winnebago County Health Department PHONE: 815-720-4345FAX: 815-720-4301
EMAIL: [email protected]
Collar and Cook Counties OP Coordinator Tom McQueen
Rush-Copley Medical Center PHONE: 630-236-4262
FAX: (630) 978-6879 (call Tom before you fax) EMAIL: [email protected]
Chicago OP Coordinator Wanda Vazquez
Centro San BonifacioPHONE: 773-252-9098 x109
FAX : 773-252-9195EMAIL: [email protected]
West Central OP Coordinator Nicole Baer
Child Care Resource and Referral Network PHONE: 309-828-1892
FAX: 309-828-0526 EMAIL: [email protected]
East Central OP Coordinator Jennifer Toney
Child Care Resource and Referral Network PHONE: 309-828-1892 x 13
FAX: 309-828-0526 EMAIL: [email protected]
Southwestern OP Coordinator Rachel Walker
Southern Illinois University Safety Center PHONE: 618-453-1359
FAX: 618-453-2879 EMAIL: [email protected]
Southeastern OP Coordinator Kathy White
Wabash Area Development, Inc. PHONE: 618-643-3022
FAX: 618-643-2161EMAIL: [email protected]
Special Needs CPS Resource CenterPatrick Collier
Children’s Hospital of IllinoisPHONE: 877-277-6543
FAX: 309-671-4832EMAIL: [email protected]
For more Information on Child Passenger Safety
