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Car Seat Safety
Louisiana law requires you to buckle up your children in proper car seats. Ensuring the best fit, size and type of car seat will help keep your child safe.
Important Car Seat Information
Benefits of Safety Seats
Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and younger. Child safety seats, when used correctly, can save lives and prevent injuries.
What is the Best Seat?
Select a car seat that is:
|
All children 12 years old and younger should sit in the back seat. EVERYONE should buckle up on EVERY ride! Four out of five child safety seats are installed incorrectly. It takes about 30 minutes to correctly install a child safety seat in your car. |
- Suitable for the child’s age, weight, and height
- Not recalled
- Well-suited for the vehicle
- Easy to use
- Will be used correctly every time
- Never been involved in a car accident
How to Install a Car Seat
To correctly buckle the car seat into the vehicle, route the seat belt or LATCH attachments through the correct belt path, attach properly and make sure you get a tight fit. This means the seat should not move more than an inch from side to side or front to back in the vehicle. Contact a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician!
Non-Regulated Products
Head supports, harness pads, mirrors and toys that did not come with your car seat have not been crash tested with your seat. There is no way of knowing how these additional products will affect the safety of your child’s car seat.
When and Why Should a Child be Placed in a Rear-Facing Car Seat?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children remain in a rear-facing seat until they are one year old and weigh at least 20 pounds. The seat should be placed at a 45-degree angle.
In the rear-facing position, the back of the seat supports the child’s back, head, and weak neck and reduces the impact of a car crash.
Valuable Resources
Many nearby entities will check check your child's car seat to make sure it is properly attached and safe, and several national organizations set safety guidelines.
| Local Child Passenger Safety Resources | |||
| Name | Service | Contact | Address |
| Brusly Fire Department | Car seat checks by appointment | 225-749-3233 | 154 East St. Francis St., Brusly |
| Lexlee's Kids |
Car seat checks by appointment | 225-372-3991 | 850 North Blvd. |
| Family Road of Greater Baton Rouge | Car seat checks by appointment on Mondays 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Tracy Johnson 225-201-8888 |
323 E. Airport Ave. |
| Louisiana State Police Troop A | Car seat checks by appointment | 225-754-8524 | 17801 Highland Rd. |
| Alliance Safety Council | Car seat checks by appointment on Wednesdays Information on the transportation of children with special needs |
Karen Ahmad 225-282-3281 |
10099 N. Reiger Rd. |
| Woman’s Hospital | Community events and classes | 924-8444 | 100 Woman's Way |
| National Resources | ||
| Name | Service | Contact |
| American Academy of Pediatrics | Publishes car seat safety guide for parents; has position papers for discharge of newborns and transportation of children with special needs | 847-434-4000 Fax: 847-434-8000 |
| National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) | NHTSA has a regulatory role in setting compliance standards for car seats; does compliance testing on car seats; responsible for recalls and provides consumer information on child passenger safety and other topics | 888-DASH-2-DOT |
| National SAFE KIDS Campaign | National nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury—the No. 1 killer of children ages 14 and younger | 202-662-0600 Fax: 202-393-2072 |
| Insurance Institute for Highway Safety | Completes crash tests and provides information on safer cars | |
