Classes are given to people who qualify for the state's free car seat program, but Malarkey welcomes anyone who wants to attend. Babies have big heads in proportion to the rest of their bodies, and the bones in their necks are soft and undeveloped. Since they don't have good control over their heads, they can jerk violently forward in collisions. If babies sit backward with their heads leaning against the cushions of car seats, they have more protection. Again, that helps support their heads.
Parents can put towels under car seats to approximate the angle.
Another common mistake is not strapping car seats in tightly enough, said Cyndi Fisher, a pediatric nurse practitioner at CHKD and co-coordinator for the Safe Kids Coalition of Hampton Roads. Before buckling them into place with seat belts, parents should put a knee into seats and lean down with their full weight, Fisher said. After the seat belt is tightened and fastened, parents should make sure the seat's base doesn't move more than an inch in any direction, Fisher said. It takes a lot more force than people think. That surprises most parents, including Cynthia Carmack of Newport News.