Lutheran Children's Hospital inspects more than a thousand car seats each year. Was one of them yours? If not, Lutheran Children's Hospital wants to provide you with some basic information to help increase the effectiveness of your child's car seat.

1. Read your child restraint owner's manual for instructions on its proper use.
   
2. Follow the weight limitations recommended by the manufacturer of your car seat.
3. Check to see if your child's restraint has been recalled. A car seat may be recalled because of a defect that could injure your child. Manufacturers are required to fix the problem free of charge. If you are unsure as to whether or not your seat has been recalled, contact the Department of Transportation Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at (888) DASH-2-DOT. If your seat is recalled, use the seat until you get a new one. It is almost always safer to use the recalled one than letting your child ride with just a safety belt restraint.
4. Use the seat that is appropriate for the age and size of the child.
5. Use the correct belt path to attach the car seat to the vehicle seat.
6. Keep the retainer clip at armpit level on the child. Only one finger should fit between the clip and your child's chest.
7. Make sure the seat moves less than one inch when pulled at the base. When installing the seat, place your knee in the seat to add weight.
8. Do not use seats that are older than six years or have been in a crash. Never buy a used car seat.
9. For additional information on car seat and travel safety, go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Lutheran Children's Hospital shows its commitment to child safety in our community by supporting Safe Kids Allen County's Permanent Fitting station. Car seat inspections occur on the Lutheran Children's Hospital campus. There is no charge, however an appointment is required. For more information or to schedule an inspection, call (260) 435-7887.

The schedule for the inspection is:

• An appointment is necessary
• Days and times vary

Other fitting stations in Fort Wayne include:

Dupont Hospital

• An appointment is necessary
• Call (260) 416-3005 for more information

Three Rivers Ambulance Authority

• An appointment is necessary
• Call (260) 423-1431 for more information

Parkview Randallia FBC

• Every Wednesday from 4pm to 7pm
• No appointment is necessary
• Call (260) 373-6830 for more information

Know Indiana's car seat laws and adhere to them

• All children less than eight (8) years of age must be properly fastened and restrained by a child restraint system according to the child restraint system manufacturer's instructions.
• All infants must ride in a rear-facing infant seat until 1 year AND 20 pounds.
• Laws are not always the maximum safety standard. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Safe Kids Worldwide, and Lutheran Children's Hospital strongly recommends the following best practices:
  • All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat (CSS) until they are two years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of their CSS
  • All children 2 years or older, or those younger than 2 years who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their CSS, should use a forward-facing CSS with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of their CSS
  • All children who weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their CSS should use a belt-positioning-booster until the vehicle lap-and-shoulder seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
  • When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap-and-shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.
  • All children younger than 13 years of age should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection