How Important is it to Have My Child in a Car Seat?
Using a child safety seat is the best option for protecting your children while they are riding in a vehicle. Motor vehicle crashes are one of the foremost causes of injury and death for children. Since it has been proven that child car seats help save lives, using a car seat has become the law in all U.S. states. Keeping your child safe also depends on using the best seat correctly. Traffic violations law firms note that the ideal child safety seat fits your child’s age, size, and weight while being secure in your vehicle.
Important Car Seat Statistics
In 2011, over 650 children under the age of 12 died because of motor vehicle accidents, and over 148,000 children within the same age bracket were injured in automobile accidents that same year. However, 451 children under the age of five were saved in 2004 by child restraints. Of those 451 saved, 413 used child safety seats and 38 used adult seatbelts. It is estimated that child safety seats can reduce fatalities by up to 71-percent amongst infants and 55-percent amongst toddlers between the ages of one and four.
How to Choose the Right Seat
There are a few important tips to choosing the right seat for your child and vehicle, including:
- Be cautious of using a secondhand seat by inquiring about the following:
- Was the seat in a previous crash? There could be non-visible damage.
- Never use a seat that lacks a manufacture date, model number, or is missing parts. Also, if the instruction manual is unavailable, don’t use the seat. Furthermore, check the seat for the “expiration date.”
- If the seat has signs of wear, cracks, or if you have doubts about the history, don’t use it. Car seat recalls regularly occur so it is best to ask the manufacturer how long the seat can be used. If the seat has been recalled, the manufacturer should provide a replacement or newer model.
- Find a seat that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213, which can be found on the car seat label.
- Learn how to properly install the seat and utilize the harness before taking your child on their first ride. Do not solely depend on the store displays to show you how.
- To ensure it has been installed properly or for help on installation, contact a child car seat inspection station, which has been set up by the government across the United States. Other good resources include fire departments, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, public safety groups, and local health departments. Always request a certified child passenger safety technician to review.
After an Accident
If you and your child have been in an accident and the car seat did not provide the proper protection, it is important to hire a traffic lawyer Alamance NC who knows the law. Your first step immediately after an accident is to seek medical treatment if you have been injured. In addition to getting the help you need; injuries are reported that could help your case. Also, you want to take photos of the vehicles involved before getting the vehicle repaired, which can compromise critical evidence toward your compensation.
All NC Greensboro traffic attorneys advise you to be careful what you say to an insurance company. They are trying to limit the liability and could try to get you to provide statements that will hurt your case. To ensure you are protected after an accident, consult with an experienced Guilford County traffic lawyer.
If you have been an accident, contact Orange County traffic ticket attorneys NC today who can help you get the compensation you deserve. The law office of Tony Huynh has experienced traffic law specialists who can educate you on the law and help you through the entire process during this difficult time. A traffic ticket attorney Guilford County knows the local and state laws to help you build a case that will result in compensation. If money is an issue, you can find an affordable traffic attorney NC who will work with you using payment plans and other financial tools so you can be represented in court by the best attorneys available.