National Child Passenger Safety Week is February 11 to February 17, 2007
February 7, 2007

For a list of scheduled car seat check-up events and SAFE KIDS inspection stations, where car seats are checked by appointment go to www.texaschildrenshospital.org/ carecenters/InjuryPrevention/ childsafety.aspx To schedule an appointment for a free car seat inspection by a certified car seat technician call 832-828-1312 or 832-828-1314. Para una lista de acontecimientos planificados de examen de asiento del coche y estaciones SEGURAS de inspección de NIÑOS, donde asientos del coche son verificados por la cita va a www.texaschildrenshospital.org/ carecenters/InjuryPrevention/ childsafety.aspx Para planificar una cita para una inspección libre de asiento del coche por un 832-828-1312 certificado de la llamada de técnico de asiento del coche o 832-828-1314.

Safety Message from City of Houston EMS Physician Director/Public Health Authority
Dr. David E. Persse

• Children should continue to use their convertible child safety seats until their ears reach the top of the back of the safety seat and their shoulders are above the top strap slots, or until they reach the upper weight limit of the seat.
• Belt-positioning boosters raise children so that the safety belt fits correctly. They should always be used with a lap/shoulder belt.
• Booster seats with high backs are best in vehicles without head support. Children who are at least 35" tall should use the 5-point harness until they weigh 40 pounds. Then they can use the lap/shoulder belt to secure themselves and the booster seat. A shield booster should only be used when there is only a lap belt.

• Child passengers under 12 years old should ride in the back seat whenever possible. This is especially important in cars with airbags. Sitting in the rear instead of the front reduces fatal injury risk by 30% among children 12 and younger.

• Buckle up! A new Texas law requires children younger than 5 to ride in a booster or car seat and children less than 17 years old are required to use their seat belts .

• As of September 1, 2005, Texas law requires all children younger than 5 years old and less than 36 inches tall to ride in a safety seat that is appropriate for their size and height.
• All children younger than 17 years must ride buckled up, whether in the front or back seats. In addition, everyone in the front seat, regardless of age, must wear safety belts.

• The best safety-seat parents can use is one that fits their car, is easy to use and is appropriate for their child's height and weight. The type of safety seat needed will change as a child grows.
• Babies must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are 20 pounds and 1 year old. A rear-facing car seat should never be placed in the front seat of a car with an airbag. 
• The child seat for babies weighing less than 20 pounds should sit at a 45-degree angle or the angle specified on the seat. This helps keep the baby's head from dropping forward and cutting off the airway.
• A child whose ears reach the top of a car seat or heavier than 40 pounds should ride in a booster seat. Booster seats must be used with lap and shoulder belts. Once a child is in a booster seat, the safety belt should fit snugly across the center of the shoulder, not across the neck or face. In addition, the safety belt should lay low over the upper thighs, not ride up on the abdomen.
• Texas Children's Center for Childhood Injury Prevention is committed to teaching parents and children ways to protect themselves from injuries and accidents through various community education programs including: car safety seat checks, Safe Sitter training and injury prevention classes.