Proper car-seat use, supervision and a few simple habits can prevent a tragedy

STAMFORD, CT – The Stamford Fire Department is launching a series of public safety messages focused on preventing some of the most common and serious injuries involving young children.

Toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 require particularly close attention when it comes to injury prevention. Children at this age are becoming increasingly mobile and curious. They climb, open doors and cabinets, reach for objects and explore spaces without understanding the dangers around them. A hazard that an adult might immediately recognize can be very attractive to a toddler.

The series will continue throughout the fall and lead into Child Safety and Protection Month in November, when the Stamford Fire Department will encourage families to take a broader look at the preventable hazards children encounter at home, in vehicles and during everyday activities. The Department also recognizes the important work of Safe Kids Worldwide and other child-safety organizations that work throughout the year to prevent childhood injuries.

Many serious childhood injuries can be prevented through proper equipment, active supervision and simple changes in everyday habits. The first topic in the Stamford Fire Department’s Toddler Safety Series focuses on something most families do every day: transporting a child in a motor vehicle.

CAR SEATS SAVE LIVES

Every trip in a vehicle should begin with a properly installed and properly fitted child safety seat. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, properly used car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury in passenger cars by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. Yet NHTSA estimates that nearly half of car seats are installed or used incorrectly.

“Parents use car seats because they want to protect their children, but simply having a car seat in the vehicle isn’t enough,” said Stamford Fire Chief Robert Morris. “The seat has to be appropriate for that child, installed correctly and used correctly on every trip. A five-minute ride close to home deserves the same attention as a five-hour trip.”

Connecticut law requires children under age 2 or weighing less than 30 pounds to ride in a rear-facing child restraint. Children ages 2 through 5, or weighing less than 40 pounds, must use a child restraint equipped with a five-point harness. Parents should also follow the height and weight limits established by the manufacturer of their particular car seat and keep children rear-facing until they reach the maximum rear-facing height or weight permitted by that seat.

CAR-SEAT HELP IS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE IN STAMFORD

Installing a child safety seat correctly can be more complicated than it appears. Different vehicles, different car seats and a growing child can all affect how a seat should be installed and adjusted. Parents and caregivers should follow both the car-seat manufacturer’s instructions and their vehicle owner’s manual, but they do not have to figure everything out by themselves.

The Stamford Fire Department and Long Ridge Volunteer Fire Company have certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians who can work directly with parents and caregivers to help them properly install and use their child’s car seat. The goal is more than simply checking whether the seat is tight. Technicians can help parents understand how the seat should be installed, how the harness should fit their child and what adjustments may be needed as that child grows.

“We would much rather have a parent call us with a car-seat question than spend months wondering whether the seat is installed correctly,” Chief Morris said. “This is a resource available right here in our community. Our certified personnel can work with parents, explain what they are seeing and help them understand how to properly secure their child.”

Parents and caregivers seeking assistance should contact the Stamford Fire Department at (203) 977-5500 or the Long Ridge Volunteer Fire Company at (203) 322-5200 to arrange for assistance with a child safety seat.

PROPER FIT MATTERS TOO

Correct installation is only part of car-seat safety. Harness straps should be routed properly, lie flat without twists and fit snugly against the child. As toddlers grow, parents should periodically check harness height, fit and the manufacturer’s height and weight limits. A seat configuration that fit properly several months ago may need adjustment today.

Bulky winter coats can interfere with proper harness fit because thick material can compress during a collision and leave additional space between the child and the restraint. Parents should also use caution with secondhand car seats. Before using one, make sure its history is known, required parts and labels are present, it has not been recalled and it remains within the manufacturer’s stated useful life.

NEVER LEAVE A TODDLER ALONE IN A VEHICLE

There is no safe amount of time to leave a toddler unattended in a motor vehicle. A parked vehicle can become dangerously hot much faster than many people realize. NHTSA reports that the temperature inside a vehicle can rise approximately 20 degrees in only 10 minutes, and a young child’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult’s.

Cracking the windows or parking in the shade does not eliminate the danger. Neither does leaving the vehicle running with the air conditioning on. A quick stop inside a store, restaurant, daycare center or home can take longer than expected, and an unattended running vehicle creates additional dangers, including the possibility of the vehicle being stolen with the child still inside.

“Taking a toddler out of a car seat when you’re only going inside for a minute can be inconvenient, but the alternative can have devastating consequences,” Chief Morris said. “If you leave the vehicle, your young child comes with you. Make that an absolute rule for your family.”

STOP. LOOK. LOCK.

Parents and caregivers should develop a routine for checking their vehicle every time they park. Before walking away, stop and look in both the front and back seats. Once everyone is out, lock the vehicle.

Changes in routine can increase the risk of accidentally leaving a child behind. A parent who does not normally transport the child to daycare, an unexpected stop on the way to work or a distracted morning can interrupt familiar habits. Families can create additional reminders by placing something they will need at their destination in the back seat when transporting a child. Parents can also arrange for their childcare provider to call if their child does not arrive at the expected time.

LOCK THE CAR AND CONTROL THE KEYS

Vehicle safety continues after the trip is over. Toddlers explore, and an unlocked vehicle parked in a driveway or garage may look like another interesting place to climb and play. A child who gets inside may be unable to get back out, creating the potential for entrapment and a heat emergency.

Keep unattended vehicles locked, even when they are parked at home, and store keys and key fobs where young children cannot reach them. Parents should teach children from an early age that vehicles are not play areas and that they may enter a vehicle only with an adult.

KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILD IS BEFORE MOVING A VEHICLE

Driveways, garages and parking areas require special attention when young children are nearby. Before moving a vehicle, know exactly where every child is. If necessary, walk completely around the vehicle before getting behind the wheel, and when another adult is present, make sure there is a clear understanding of who is supervising the child before the vehicle moves.

Backup cameras, proximity sensors and automatic braking systems provide valuable additional protection, but technology should never replace direct supervision. A driver should know where a young child is before putting a vehicle in motion.

IF YOU SEE A CHILD ALONE IN A VEHICLE

Members of the public can also help prevent a tragedy. If you see a young child alone inside a vehicle, do not simply assume that a parent or caregiver will return in a moment. Pay particular attention during warm weather or when the child appears distressed.

Call 911 when you believe a child may be in danger and provide the dispatcher with your location, a description of the vehicle and information about the child’s condition. Heat illness can progress quickly in a young child, and emergency dispatchers can provide instructions while firefighters, EMS personnel or police are responding.

EVERY RIDE. EVERY TIME.

Most vehicle trips with young children end exactly as expected. That familiarity can make it easy to become less attentive to the small safety steps that protect a child. Use the appropriate child safety seat every time, check the harness, keep parked vehicles locked, secure the keys, know where your child is before moving a vehicle and never leave a toddler unattended inside a vehicle.

“Child safety is built around habits,” Chief Morris said. “We want parents and caregivers to establish those habits when their children are young and follow them every time. Most of these precautions take only seconds, but those seconds can prevent a life-changing emergency.”

The Stamford Fire Department will continue its Toddler Safety Series throughout the fall with information addressing water and pool safety, boating safety, burns and scalds, choking and button batteries, medications and poisons, falls, furniture tip-overs, entrapment hazards, household dangers and interactions between toddlers and pets.

The series will lead into Child Safety and Protection Month in November with a call for Stamford families to take a fresh look at their homes, vehicles and everyday routines from the perspective of a curious young child.

CAR-SEAT INSTALLATION ASSISTANCE

Parents and caregivers who have questions about their child’s car seat or would like assistance with installation are encouraged to contact one of Stamford’s local child passenger safety resources:

Stamford Fire Department
www.stamfordfire.com
www.stamfordfire.com/car-seat-installation-request-form/
(203) 977-5500

Long Ridge Volunteer Fire Company
(203) 322-5200

For additional information on preventing childhood injuries, parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit Safe Kids Worldwide.

For emergencies, call 911.

Incident Details (if applicable):

Incident Number:
Incident Location:
Incident Date:

CONTACT INFO:

Deputy Fire Chief, Public Information Officer Philip Hayes
(203) 977-5600

Tags: