Did you know that 75 percent of all child car seats are installed in the vehicle incorrectly or don’t fit the right way? This shocking statistic is just one of the car seat facts that are circulating the media during Child Passenger Safety Week this week. News stations all over are picking up tidbits from studies performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association and championing car seat safety in order to preserve the lives of precious children. About 20 percent of all parents admit that they don’t read the instruction manual when installing a car seat in the car. Yet the fact is, though installing a car seat may seem self-explanatory, one mistake can bring on a horrific end. Failing to buckle one buckle or set the seat up in the position that it is supposed to go can diminish the car seat’s optimal safety.

The NHTSA says that most people who fail to install a car seat correctly fail in the same area: the seat belt slots. If you thread the seat belt though the wrong hole, it can leave the belt too loose. This means that in the event of an accident, the car seat won’t remain on the seat where it is placed, but jostle back and forth. This could be fatal for a fragile infant. As well, many parents place the car seat in the wrong seat, or fail to tighten the harness enough.

90 percent of all parents surveyed by the NHTSA say that they were confident that they were buckled in safely. Yet when the NHTSA took a look, most of those parents hadn’t done their job right. Traffic crashes are the number one killer of children ages 1 to 12, which is why having safe car seats is essential. The amount of child deaths from car accidents could be drastically reduced if car seats are properly maintained and installed.

This week, all over the United States DMV’s are performing free car seat inspections for willing parents who want to keep their young one’s safe on the road. In addition to installing car seats wrong, there are often dangers with the car seats themselves. Over the years, dozens of car seats have been recalled because they were ineffective at keeping a child safe from harm in the event of a crash. You can check with the Consumer Product and Safety Commission to see if your car seat has been recalled for dangers.

The NHTSA suggests that all parents spend 15 minutes doing a speedy check-up on their car-seat every year. First of all, check the label on your car seat to see if it is appropriate for your child. Often kids grow out of car seats that have weight limits, height limits, and age limits. Check to see if your child is in the correct age bracket. As well, car seats have expiration dates just like food items do. Check to make sure that yours isn’t too old. Step two of the check-up is making sure that your car seat is in the right place. Look at the manual to see where the manufacturers suggest that you place the car seat. Never place a car seat in the front seat. Children should not sit in the front passenger seat until they are at least 13 years of age.

Also, you will want to check and make sure that your car seat is facing the right direction based in your child’s age. Infants need to sit in rear-facing car seats. They should remain in these safer seats until they are around two years old. Eventually, your child will graduate to a front-facing seat. You will want to take care to install this seat with a top tether and lock the seat belt. Eventually, your child will move on to a booster seat. Children should remain in a booster until they are about 8 years old.

Whenever you install a car seat, you should give it a shake at the base. If the seat can move more than an inch from side to back, then it is too loose. You should also make sure that the harness is tightly buckled through the right slots. Place the chest clip at your baby’s armpit level. Pinch the strap at your baby’s shoulder. If there is excess webbing then you need tighten the harness. By being cautious, you may be able to improve your child’s safety when riding in the car. Talk to a car accident attorney today if your child was injured in a collision that was not your fault, and was injured.