Common Mistakes Parents Make When Installing Car Seats

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new survey shows parents are making big mistakes when buckling up their kids in car seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is using Child Passenger Safety Week to correct some common mistakes.

The survey showed that 20 percent of parents admitted they don’t read the instruction manuals for installing car seats. The NHTSA said traffic crashes are the No. 1 killer of children ages one to 12 years old.

According to the NHTSA one of the biggest mistakes parents make is using the wrong slots for seat belts or leaving the seats too loose. Other common mistakes include:

• Harness chest clip positioned over the abdomen instead of the chest
• Loose car seat installation—anything more than one inch is too much
• Loose harness—there should be no slack
• Wrong seat belt placement

The survey showed around 90 percent of parents are confident that their kids are buckled in safely when they may not be.