How to install a child seat in a car - equipment that Vietnamese people have not paid attention to

Most Vietnamese people still let children sit unsafely in car seats, which are designed and sized for adults.

Car seats are designed for adults, but many children use them. However, in reality, few parents pay attention to how to let their children sit safely in the car. At the very least, they must wear a seat belt and have a separate seat suitable for the child's height.

Install separate seat

It is not possible to let the child sit in an adult chair because the size of the chair is much larger than the body. The seat belt position is also not effective because it will be across the child's face or over the head. Therefore, a separate seat must be installed for the child.

Check seat belts in individual seats

The seat belt on a child seat is not the 3-point diagonal type like a car seat, but is worn evenly across the shoulders and chest. There are two ways to check this: the "pinch test" and the "inch test".

Pinch test is a way to check if the seat belt is tight enough by trying to grab the belt at the shoulder. If you can grab it, it is not tight enough, so tighten it until you can no longer grab it.

Inch test is a way to check if the seat is fixed, by putting your hand behind and under the small seat, try to move it, if it still moves, you should tighten it so that the passenger seat is firmly attached to the car seat.

Do not place towels or clothes between the baby's back and the chair.

Using small pillows, towels, or thin clothes to fill the gap between the baby's back and the chair does not help keep the baby more secure in the chair, but instead makes the back hot quickly and is not safe in the event of a collision because the baby cannot fit neatly in the chair space.

Do not install separate seats when the cabin is hot

If you park your car in the sun for a long time in the summer, do not install a separate car seat for your baby immediately. Use the air conditioning system to cool the interior, and check that any metal or plastic objects that come into direct contact with your baby's skin are cool before installing.

Tighten up what's loose

This step is not only for the safety of children but also for adults in the car. Before setting off, tighten or re-fasten any loose connections to ensure everything will work properly in the event of a collision.

How to properly install a baby car seat

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): every 4 carsbaby car seats3 of them were installed incorrectly. This directly affects the safety of your child because if installed incorrectly, this safety seat will not be able to protect your child but will instead put your child in danger.

Here are the most important factors when installing a child car seat.

Installation location and usage orientation

Car seats should be installed in the middle seat of the back row. This is the safest position for your child. Never place your child in the front seat unless the car is a two-seater or the rear seat has cargo space.

Install the car seat against the direction of travel for children under 2 years old.

If it is necessary to let the child sit in the front right next to the steering wheel, parents should turn the airbag system OFF.

Another factor that parents need to pay attention to is the installation direction.baby car seats. Advice from safety experts as well as manufacturers is that parents should install the car seat so that the baby sits facing away from the direction of the vehicle's movement and parents should maintain this position until the baby is 2 years old to ensure the baby's safety.

Parents don't worry that your baby will be bored if sitting in the back alone. Talking to your baby or giving them toys is a great idea.

Tips for parents when installing car seats for babies

Make sure you understand how to install your child's car seat by reading the instruction manual that comes with it. If the information is unclear, call the manufacturer or distributor for help.

Use a tether system if possible. All child safety seats and vehicles manufactured after 2002 must be fitted with the LATCH system, which stands for Lower Anchors and Child Tether (some vehicles manufactured between 1999 and 2002 also have this system).

Check the security of the child car seat before letting your baby use it.

The LATCH system is designed to make installing a child car seat easier and safer by attaching it directly to the car seat with a latch instead of using a seat belt. All child car seats must have a five-point safety harness and a safety latch.

If you own a car without a latch system, consider adding one as a safety latch is essential to help your baby have a safe seat in the car.

If you are installing a safety seat and not using a latch, make sure the vehicle's seat belt is threaded through the correct slots and pull the belt as tight as possible, leaving no slack.

When installing a forward-facing car seat, make sure the seat cushion and backrest are flat. Check your owner's manual for recline angles. To push the air out of the cushion, you can use your hands or, better yet, put your knees on the car seat and push down with all your body weight.

After installation, the seat should not move more than 2cm from back to front, side to side!

If the chair is warped, you should use strong and firm force to ensure the chair fits snugly and is firmly on the bench.

Use car seat installation

Make sure you know how the seat's adjustment system works best. You can tighten and loosen the straps around your baby with the adjustment pins.

Adjust your posturechild car seatto make your baby feel comfortable. But if you find a gap where you can fit your fingertip in the adjustment part, the system is loose and needs to be reviewed.

According to VNE