Find Out How Car Seats Saved This Woman’s Four Children

The holidays will be especially sweet for a Peoria mother who has a new appreciation for children’s car seats. That’s because it’s likely that she has the seats to thank for saving the lives of her children during an auto collision.

Here’s What Happened

Last month, the mother and her passengers – including all four children – were struck from behind in a high-speed rear-end crash. While the mother and her other adult passenger were taken to a nearby hospital for minor injuries, the children were unharmed. “If it wasn’t for the car seats, our night would have ended differently,” the mother said.

Mother Discovered Proper Child Car Seat Installation at Fire Department

Perhaps a huge reason for the children being unharmed was the mother’s expertise with installing the children’s car seats. Over the course of several years, she had made multiple trips to the Peoria Fire-Medical Department to learn proper installation. A study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that about 46% — nearly half – of car seats were installed or used incorrectly. Kyle Layne, a technician with Peoria Fire-Medical, said “We see improperly installed seats every day, some of them with serious mistakes that could lead to fatal results. Every car is different and every car seat is different.”

How to Install Child Car Seats

Just as Layne said, every car seat is different. That’s why it’s imperative that you read the instructions thoroughly and make sure you clearly understand how they’re to be securely put in place. Other important factors include:

• Positioning car seats in the back seat of the vehicle as it’s the safest place in the car for the child to ride
• Referring to your own vehicle’s owner’s manual as some cars and trucks already have anchors built into the seats for attaching a safety seat
• Locking the seat belt lock the seat in place
• Making sure the seat is secured tightly

Recommendations for positioning your child include:

• Removing bulky clothing
• Making sure the child is seated flush against the seat so that there’s no arching or slouching
• Checking to make sure straps fall flat and do not have twists or knots and are not too tight

If You or Your Child Has Been Injured by Someone Else, Call The Oswalt Law Group

Accidents on our roads can happen in the blink of an eye. That’s why it’s so important to do all you can to make sure any children in your vehicle are secure and safe. If you’ve been injured by someone else, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. For a free consultation, call us here at The Oswalt Law Group; our number is (602) 225-2222.