March 19, 2024

Child Safety Seat Information

Did you know that car crashes are the number one killer of children ages 1 through 12? Did you know that 4 out of every 5 child safety seats are used incorrectly?  Did you know that adult seatbelts do NOT adequately protect children ages 4-8 from injuries in a crash?

Springettsbury Twp. Police Department currently has two certified Child Safety Seat technicians.  Officer Jennifer Kennedy and Officer Craig Helm can assist you in checking your child’s seat and help you to install it correctly.  If you need assistance with a child safety seat installation, please fill out the form on this website and one of the officers will contact you to set up an appointment.

Below you will find some general guidelines regarding child safety seats and some information on the types of child safety seats.  This information was obtained from the American Academy of Pediatrics web site for parents, www.HealthyChildren.org.

 

Age Group Type of Seat General Guidelines
Infants/toddlers Rear-facing   only seats and rear-facing convertible seats All infants and   toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight   or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer.
Toddler/preschoolers Convertible   seats and forward-facing seats with harness All children 2   years or older, or those younger than 2 years who have outgrown the   rear-facing weight or height limit for their car seat, should use a Forward-Facing   Car Seat with a harness for as long   as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed their car seat’s   manufacturer.
School-aged children Booster seats All children   whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their car seat   should use a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have   reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
Older children Seat belts When children   are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they   should always use Lap and Shoulder Seat Belts for optimal protection. All children younger than 13 years should be   restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.