Using the latch vs. the seat belt for car seat safety

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Using the latch vs. the seat belt for car seat safety

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Many well meaning parents, while trying to install their car seat will realize that it's not tight enough after they install it with the latch or the safety belt alone. And in trying to get it tighter will add the other element. So they'll have both the latches and the safety belt behind the car seat path trying to get it in there as tight as possible. This is absolutely incorrect. There are no car seats on the market that allow you to use the latch and the seat belt at the same time. In the event of a car accident, they can actually work against each other. So you probably want to make a good choice about which seat in the car your child is sitting in whether you can use latch or seat belt based on reading your vehicle manual to see where the latches are allowed. Latch only goes up to about 40 pounds in most vehicles. Again, you can reference your car manual. If there are no instructions in the manual, just assume 40 pounds. If your child weighs more than 40 pounds, just install the car seat with the seat belt. Seat belts are made to accommodate a man up to 400 pounds, so they are also very safe as long as you use them correctly. If you're having trouble and you need help, you can always go to a professional car seat installer to have them check it out for you.


See Jennifer Beall, MBA, CPST's video on Using the latch vs. the seat belt for car seat safety...

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Jennifer Beall, MBA, CPST

Founder of Tot Squad

Jennifer Beall is the Founder and CEO of Tot Squad formerly known as CleanBeeBaby, an eco-friendly cleaning service for strollers and car seats that is at a different neighborhood retailer or preschool every day. Professional safety technicians help properly reinstall car seats after they are cleaned.Certified as a Child Passenger Safety Technician since 2009, Jen is passionate about helping parents properly use their car seats given that 85% are incorrectly installed. She also serves on the Los Angeles committee for Baby Buggy, a charity that helps collect used baby gear to redistribute it to families in need.Jen received her MBA in 2010 from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University where she focused on Marketing and Entrepreneurship. CleanBeeBaby was created through her coursework, for which she won first place in the Kellogg Cup Business Plan Competition and the Student of the Year award in Entrepreneurship. Prior to business school, she worked in management consulting as well as internal strategy for a food and beverage company. She also received a BS in Mathematics from Duke University after leaving her hometown of Austin, Texas.Jen now lives in Los Angeles but remains a loyal fan of the Texas Longhorns and the Duke basketball team. She enjoys spending time outdoors and traveling. She has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Fast Company, Daily Candy, and Crain's Chicago Business.

Car Seats, Car Seats, Car Seats
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