By Betsy Crick

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and national reports show that approximately 90% of all child safety seats are installed incorrectly.

DHEC’s Child Passenger Safety Program works to prevent injuries and fatalities.  The program provides more than 50 child passenger safety events statewide each year.  Additionally, they facilitate more than 50 presentations annually to college education majors, doctors’ offices, faith-based organizations and school improvement councils to educate individuals about child safety seat usage and to promote the primary seatbelt law.

How you can install your child’s car seat safely:

• Use rear facing child seats for children from birth to 20 pounds AND one year of age. The Academy of Pediatrics recommends leaving children facing the rear until they reach the maximum rear facing weight of their convertible car seat.
• Use forward facing child seats for children over 20 pounds and one year of age to 40 pounds.
• Use belt positioning booster seats for children from 40 pounds to 80-100 pounds.
• Use seat belts for children when they are able to utilize the seat belt correctly when the shoulder belt crosses the collarbone and the lap belt fits low on the hips. Approximately 4′ 9” tall and 80-100 pounds.

For more information, please visit DHEC’s Child Passenger Safety Program page.