Program Teaches Parents About Child Car Seats

Robert and Suzanne Cassidy of Irvine did plenty of research before purchasing a $120 child safety seat for their 6-month-old son, Andrew.

But on Saturday, they discovered what thousands of other unsuspecting parents don’t know: that their safety seat isn’t right for their car, and that their child isn’t as well-protected as he could be.

The Cassidys were among dozens of people who had their child safety seats inspected by county health officials in Irvine as part of a new effort to educate parents about how to properly use the seats.

As part of the Buckle-Up Orange County Project, police officers and safety experts also answer questions from parents and make sure seats are not under manufacturer recall. Additional inspections are scheduled for this year in other parts of the county.

State law requires that all children who weigh less than 40 pounds or are younger than 4 be strapped into car safety seats.

But officials said there is little coordination between auto makers and safety seat manufacturers, causing confusion for parents trying to protect their children.

Parents complain that some auto dealers don’t know what types of safety seats are best for the cars they sell.

Some retailers who sell child seats aren’t sure what brands are best for which cars.

A child seat is most effective when it fits snugly into the back seat of a car.

Poorly fitting seats can come loose and bounce around during accidents, causing injuries.

“It is really just a deadly situation,” said Sheryll Bolton, a child passenger safety specialist with the county’s Health Care Agency.

The Cassidys expressed surprise when Bolton told them their car seat doesn’t properly fit into their Saturn sedan.

“It’s a little disappointing and frustrating,” Robert Cassidy said. “But, for Andrew, we have to get a new one.”

Safety concerns don’t end when parents purchase the right seats.

Few drivers install the seats correctly, said Officer Richard Groscost of the Irvine Police Department.

In fact, 90% of child safety seats are not attached to a back seat properly.

“It’s not that parents don’t care,” Groscost said. “They just don’t know.”

*

Jill Lachut, 32, of Irvine found out something startling on Saturday when she brought in her brand-new seat to be inspected.

It had been recalled because of a defective part that could allow the shoulder straps to loosen.

“You think that you are buying the best on the market, and then we find out there’s a defective part,” she said.

Lachut will have to contact the manufacturer for a free replacement part.

The Saturday inspection comes after two recent fatal accidents in Irvine involving young children.

In one accident, a 3-year-old was not sitting in a car seat or restrained by a seat belt.

The second accident involved an infant who was ejected from a safety seat for reasons that are still being investigated.

For information about the next car seat inspection, call (714) 834-3059.