When a drunken driver plowed into the family s car at 55 mph, only the baby was still secured, in a car seat. The crash s impact mangled the baby s car seat, but the child came away with just a scratch on her forehead. Now 15, she continues to deal with a substantive brain injury. The crash spurred Prom to tell the world about the importance of properly restraining children in automobiles. She especially hopes families pay attention to her message during the summer travel season.
Prom has reason to feel concern.
At a recent Twin Cities child passenger safety clinic, more than 200 children were checked for proper child restraint use and 87 percent of the restraints were being used incorrectly a figure similar to national statistics. At this clinic, the most common errors were using incorrect harness slots, harnesses not snug enough, vehicle safety belt not tight enough and using the wrong restraint for the child s age and size. Thirty-two safety seats were replaced because of recalls, because the seats were too old or because the seat had been involved in a crash. You ll save a little money if you buy one convertible seat to do the job from birth to 40 pounds, but an infant-only seat may be easier for you to use and may fit your newborn baby better. An infant-only seat can also be carried with you wherever you go.