Fact or Fiction A Child Passenger Safety CEU Presentation As Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians/instructors, we have to stay current in a field that is constantly changing.
New technologies in both vehicles and car seats require that we continuously re-educate ourselves.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 2 Fact or Fiction?
It is acceptable to use both, LATCH lower attachments and the vehicle seat belt to install a harnessed car seat.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 3 Both Fact and Fiction
Nearly all car seat manufacturer’s prohibit the use of both the seat belt and lower anchors.
HOWEVER, NUNA’s Pipa infant seat allows the use of both lower anchors and seat belt – at the same time.
Always refer to both the car seat and vehicle manufacturer advice as there are exceptions.
Source: 2013 LATCH Manual
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 4 Fact or Fiction?
An infant seat carrying handle must always be in the down position while using it in a vehicle.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 5 Fiction
Most rear-facing only car seats allow the handle to be locked in a variety of positions when in use in a vehicle.
Some rear-facing only car seats instruct that the handle is to be, or can be, left in the upright “carry” position in the vehicle.
Always carefully read the car seat’s instructions to confirm the handle positions allowed An Example from the Chicco KeyFit 30 User Guide by the car seat manufacturer.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 6 Fact or Fiction?
It is considered a misuse if the car seat has a tether strap and the vehicle has a top tether anchor but neither is being used in a forward-facing installation.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 7 Fact
It is considered best practice to use the top tether when installing a forward-facing car seat.
The top tether should be used whether installing using the seat belt or lower anchors. It works with either system and should be used.
A properly used tether whether used with a seat belt of LATCH lower anchorage can reduce reduce serious injuries because it significantly limits how much a child’s head moves forward in a crash. It reduces the likelihood of head and spinal cord injury.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 8 Fact or Fiction?
It is acceptable to place a locking clip on the side opposite the latch plate.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 9 Unless instructed otherwise Fiction by the manufacturer, place the locking clip no more than 1 inch from the buckle.
If the locking clip binds against the frame or shell of the car seat and it cannot be moved closer to the latch plate, move the clip just far enough away from the latch plate so that it rests just inside the frame or shell.
Remember that all vehicles model year 1996 or newer must have either a locking latch plate or a locking Locking Clip retractor.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 10 Fact or Fiction?
Always use a top tether for a rear-facing convertible car seat if there is an anchor point in the vehicle.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 11 Fiction Currently, four car seat manufacturers in the U.S. allow optional rear-facing tethering on some models: Britax, Clek, Combi and Diono.
Tethers designed for forward-facing should never be used when the convertible seat is in the rear-facing position unless explicitly permitted in the car seat manufacturer’s instructions.
The tether strap on a convertible car seat should be stowed securely when the car seat is used rear-facing.
Source: 2013 LATCH Manual
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 12 Fact or Fiction?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) must certify that every child restraint meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213 before they go to market.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 13 Fiction
What is FMVSS 213? NHTSA does not certify car seats before they go to This rule provides car seat performance standards for children up market. to 65 lbs.
Some standards include: Car seat manufacturers Crashworthiness self-certify their products Labeling and instructions Flammability as meeting NHTSA Buckle release pressure performance standards. NHTSA randomly tests car seats on vehicle bench seats NHTSA conducts random in 30 mph frontal crashes involving crash compliance tests. test dummies.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 14 Fact or Fiction?
All vehicles have been required to have a pre-crash locking seat belt feature, either at the retractor or the latch plate since Model Year 2000.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 15 Fiction
They have been required since model year 1996.
In vehicles made before 1996, seat belts were not federally required to provide the pre-crash locking feature. Some did, but it was purely voluntary on the part of the manufacturer.
Take-away Message: ◦ If you are working in a car model year 1996 or newer, start at the latch plate to see if it locks. If it doesn’t, the retractor will.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 16 Fact or Fiction?
As a technician or parent, you should always use your knee in the car seat to tighten it.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 17 Fiction
The weight of an adult hand on the car seat should be enough to tighten the car seat in place.
It is recommended to use the weaker hand so as not to use more force than necessary.
Britax specifically requests that the vehicle seat NOT be compressed with it’s new Click Tight technology found on the Frontier 90 and Pinnacle 90.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 18 Fact or Fiction?
An emergency locking retractor (ELR) cannot be used to install a car seat without an approved additional step or locking latchplate.
What is an ELR?
A retractor on a seat belt system that locks in response to rapid deceleration of the vehicle. ELRs respond to rapid extraction of the belt or the sudden deceleration of the vehicle or both.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 19 Fact
Vehicles where neither the retractor nor the latch plate stay locked need an additional approved step to lock the car seat in place pre-crash:
◦ Locking clip/lockoff
◦ Belt shortening clip
◦ Flip latchplate (used when the locking latchplate is in an unlocked unparalleled position)
◦ Twist buckle stalk (used when the locking latchplate is in an unlocked unparalleled position)
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 20 Fact or Fiction?
It is acceptable to twist a buckle stalk as many times as necessary to fix an incompatibility issue.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 21 Fiction
The maximum number of twists is .
The number was agreed upon by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Child Restraint subcommittee based on IMMI data.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 22 Fact or Fiction?
It is best practice to always use the top tether for a forward-facing car seat – whether using the lower anchors or the seat belt.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 23 Fact
For forward-facing car seats, use of a tether is recommended, whenever possible, by car seat and vehicle manufacturers. However, use of this protective feature is technically optional in the U.S.
A top tether holds the back of the car seat firmly against the vehicle seat to make it more secure and reduce the amount of forward and side movement.
A top tether can reduce the distance that the child’s head moves forward by 4 to 6 inches, lessening the risk of head injuries in a crash and provide more protection for children.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 24 Fact or Fiction?
It is the law in Illinois that a child under the age of 13 cannot ride in the front seat if there are active air bags.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 25 Fiction
The Illinois law does not specify what age a child can ride in the front seat.
NHTSA recommends that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat to avoid contact with the frontal air bag system.
It is best practice for children under the age of 13 to ride in the back seat.
If a child must ride in the front seat make sure that the seat is as far away from the air bag as possible. If there is an on/off switch for the air bag, make sure it is turned off.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 26
Fact or Fiction?
When finding the correct car seat for a child, you should only be concerned with the child’s height and weight.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 27 Fiction
It is important to place children in car seats based on more than just their weight and height. These factors all need to be considered:
1. Age
2. Weight
3. Height
4. Physical Needs
5. Behavioral Needs
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 28
Fact or Fiction?
If the angle of a rear-facing seat needs adjusted, only three pool noodles may be used to correct the angle.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 29 Fiction
Your National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program student manual says if the car seat doesn’t have an adjustable base, a firm, lightweight object (tightly rolled towel or pool noodles) can be placed at the vehicle seat crack or bight. Use as few as possible to achieve the correct angle.
Read the car seat instructions prior to using a noodle as some manufacturer’s, such as CHICCO, do not allow the use of noodles with their seats.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 30
Fact or Fiction?
If a child is born under 5 lbs., they MUST use a car bed until they are 5 lbs.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 31 Fiction
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends tolerance testing for infants delivered at less than 37 weeks gestation.
If the infant passes the tolerance test in a conventional car seat, no car bed is necessary.
It is the responsibility of a health care professional – not the technician – to determine whether or not a car bed is needed.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 32
Fact or Fiction?
When installing a booster in a vehicle with no head protection (low seat backs or no head restraint) a high back booster is a more appropriate choice than a backless booster.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 33 Fact
High back booster seats must be used when the vehicle seat backs are low or do not have head restraints. This type of seat provides head, neck and back support for the child.
High back booster seats must be used, because there is no head restraint.
Backless booster seats can be used, because there are head restraints.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 34 Fact or Fiction?
Booster seats should be used on school buses if the bus is equipped with lap and shoulder belts.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 35 Fiction
School bus seats are different than vehicle seats. They have shorter seat depths, so they are better scaled to allow a small child’s legs to bend. Also, shoulder belts for buses are adjustable by height, so that the shoulder belt is able to fit shorter children. These factors make small children able to pass the 5-Step Test for Seat Belt Readiness at a much earlier age on a bus, as compared to a car. Adding a booster seat to a school bus seat, therefore, unnecessarily moves the child forward in the narrower confines of bus seat spacing. The proper solution for a child who doesn’t fit the bus seat is to use a car seat with a harness rather than a booster seat.
- CPS Express - August 2011
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 36 Fact or Fiction?
If you re-certify early (within the 4 month time frame) your CPS certification date will stay the same.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 37 Fact
If you re-certify early, the month and day of your certification cycle will not change.
For example, your certification ends on 12/01/13 and you decide to re-certify early on 10/01/13. Your new certification cycle will be 12/01/13 to 12/01/15. Any CEUs earned between 10/01/13 and 12/01/13 will not count towards either cycle and you will not be able to enter them into your CPS online profile.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 38
Fact or Fiction?
It is required for all children to use a car seat while on an airplane.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 39 Fiction
Children younger than 2 years are not required to be restrained or For additional information please visit the secured on aircraft during takeoff, FAA’s website at:
landing or conditions of turbulence. www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/
Not all car seats can fit on standard airplane seats, which are typically about 16 inches wide, but Safe Kids and the Federal Aviation Administration strongly recommend using an approved car seat if it fits.
Car seats are not allowed in aisle seats or exit rows, where they could block emergency escape routes so they must be used at a window seat.
Booster seats cannot be used on airplanes because there are no lap- shoulder belts.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 40
The CARES Child Safety Device is the only FAA- approved harness-type restraint for children weighing between 22 and 44 pounds. This is an alternative to using a hard-backed seat and is approved only for For more information: use on aircraft. http://kidsflysafe.com/
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 41 Fact or Fiction?
Car seats cannot be installed using inflatable seat belts?
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 42 Fiction
Some manufacturer’s DO allow the use of their car seats with an inflatable seat belt but not all.
From Britax’s website:
Can I use an inflatable seat belt to install my BRITAX car seat?
Yes. BRITAX has revised its recommendations and based upon an analysis of vehicle seat belt system testing results, the current Ford Motor Company (Ford and Lincoln vehicles) Inflatable seat belt system is approved for use with all BRITAX car seats made to date. BRITAX will continue to evaluate information provided by automobile inflatable seat belt manufacturers and may revise these recommendations as new data becomes available.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 43 Fact or Fiction?
In Illinois, children are not required by law to use a car seat in a taxi cab.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 44 Fact
A taxi cab is considered a commercial vehicle, so car seats are not required under Illinois law.
Of course, the recommendation is that car seats should be used in taxi cabs, but it is not the law.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 45 Fact or Fiction?
Car seats must be used in low speed vehicles (LSVs).
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 46 Fiction
Child Restraints are designed for the FMVSS 213 bench and motor vehicle seats meeting the federal motor vehicle safety standard definitions of “passenger car” and “multipurpose passenger vehicle.” In both these definitions, “low speed vehicle” is excluded. While low speed vehicles may meet some federal motor vehicle safety standards, they are not the same standards as passenger cars or multipurpose passenger vehicles, and therefore, child restraints may not perform as designed when used in those vehicle types. It is not recommended to rely on child restraints to protect children while traveling in low speed vehicles. Most child restraint manufacturers prohibit use of child restraints in low speed vehicles. Refer to the individual child restraint manufacturer for more information.
Manufacturers Alliance for Child Passenger Safety Statement for CPS Technicians/Instructors on child restraints and LSVs
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 47 Fact or Fiction?
Each tether anchor can only be used for one car seat.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 48 Fiction
“A single loop can be used to route and anchor more than one child seat. For example, the center loop can be used as a routing loop for a child safety seat in the center rear seat and as an anchoring loop for child seats installed in the outboard rear seats.” - 2012 Ford F250 Supercab Instructions
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 49 Fact or Fiction?
Six years is the expiration for car seats made in the United States.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 50 Fiction
Expiration dates are not mandated by FMVSS 213 so it is up to each manufacturer to decide how long their car seats can be used.
Different car seats have different recommendations. The Britax Pinnacle 90 has a 9 year expiration from date of manufacture while the Nuna Pipa has a 5 year expiration from the date of purchase.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 51 Fact or Fiction?
Just like car seats have an expiration date, the LATCH system in the vehicle also has an expiration date.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 52 Fiction
All of the occupant protection features in the vehicle are designed to last for the life of the vehicle.
If the vehicle is involved in a crash, certain features may need to be replaced, however.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 53 Fact or Fiction?
Load leg technology (foot prop) is currently only available in seats sold in Europe.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 54 Fiction?
At least 2 new seats being available in the US offer the load leg technology or foot prop. (Cybex Aton 2 and Nuna Pipa)
This technology helps the car seat to better ride down the crash with the vehicle instead of separately.
The Aton 2 testing shows HIC (Head Injury Criteria) numbers reduced by 48% when using the foot prop.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 55 Fact or fiction
In harnessed car seats, the LATCH can be used to install the car seat until the combined weight of the child and the restraint reach 65 lb.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 56 Fact
To improve FMVSS 213, a new rule will take effect in 2014 regarding LATCH and car seat weight.
The LATCH can be used to install the harnessed car seat until the combined weight of the child and the restraint reach 65 lb.
So for a product weighing 15 lb, you will be able to install it with LATCH until the child reaches 50 lb.
Booster seats can be secured using LATCH with children of any weight allowed by the manufacturer.
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 57 Remember- ALWAYS check the Owners manuals!
THANK YOU!
May 2013 Fact or Fiction 58