Most of us can remember the good ol' days as kids where we stretched out in the back of our parents' station wagon or scrunched up on the floor of the sedan.  How we all survived, I'll never know.  But fortunately, our kids have a safer ride with today's generation of car seats.  Heck, my daughter is strapped in so tight to the 5-point harness on her booster seat that I sometimes wish I had a booster for me too!

But here's a scary thought.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 3 out of 4 of car seats today are actually installed incorrectly, meaning that in the event of an accident, our kids may not be so safe afterall.

So here's the deal.  In order to help keep the children of America safe, the NHSTA is kicking off Child Passenger Safety Week (September 12 -18) with Seat Check Saturday.  That's this Saturday, September 12, all across the country. You can find out about free Seat Check Saturday events in your area through their inspection station locator. There you can have your car seats and installation inspected by a professional and assure that your children are as safe as they can be when riding along with you.

The NTHSA recommends installing child safety seats by using the LATCH system that is required to be installed in all 2002 and newer vehicles. Instructions and more information on using the LATCH system can be found on the LATCH page on the child seat safety website. Assuring that your car seat is correctly installed using the LATCH system is one of the most effective ways to protect your children while riding in the car.

They also recommend registering your child safety seat, so that you can be notified quickly in the event of a recall. Registration information can be found on their website. You can also search the current recalls and subscribe to recall lists, which will provide you with up-to-date recall information through email. There is an average of 8 child safety seat recalls per year...so it's important to stay informed.  

Thumbnail photo by kellyandapril