How to install a car seat properly

Photo by Quay DeVoll

ZANESVILLE, Ohio– The long Labor Day weekend is finally here. Families, with small children, will be traveling on the road. WHIZ’s Carmel Victor has some travel safety tips.

If you are traveling with small child AAA Senior Public Relations Manager Kimberly Schwind demonstrated how to properly install a car seat. This is rear facing seat. There are two ways you can do it, with a seat belt or lower anchors. Schwind shows us using the lower anchors.

“So, I’m just going to snap this right where the lower anchor is,” Schwind said. “And you hear it click.”

Then you repeat the same thing on the other side.

“This seat right now is way too loose. You do not want it to move more then inch at the belt path,” Schwind said.

You must tighten the belt path of the car seat, by pushing down and back.

“I want to make sure that the recline angle is correct. There will be marking on the seat telling you,” Schwind said.

Then you test it with your non-dominant hand to make sure it doesn’t move more than inch. Now that you’ve installed the seat. Schwich said to also make sure you harness the baby properly.

“This seat is a little bit too high for this baby. Since this baby is rear facing you want the shoulder straps to start at or below he’s shoulders,” Schwind said.

After you adjust the shoulder straps, make sure the straps aren’t too lose.

“You want to tighten it so that you can’t grab any slack in the belt. You also want to make sure something that’s very important, they the chest clip is at arm pit level. You don’t want it at there stomach because that actually could cause internal injuries if you were in a crash,” Schwind said.

Schwind said all cars and car seats are different.

“You really need to make sure that you’re using the seat the way that the manufacture intends you to use the seat. So that’s what it’s important to reference your owner’s manual for your car seat and then also your vehicle,” Schwind said.

Schwind understands installing a car seat is quite complicated task process, that’s why AAA offers free car seat checking.