Child Passenger Safety Seats - Health Department
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| NATIONAL CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK September 8, 2009 — September 12 - 18 is National Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Week, an opportunity to remind the public of the importance of vehicle occupant protection. In Ohio, the week will take on additional importance as the focus will be on the newly passed chages to Ohio’s Passenger Safety Law. Beginning October 7 (with enforcement beginning April 4, 2010) the law requires that: 1) Every child under eight years old must ride in a booster seat or other appropriate child safety seat unless the child is 4’ 9” or taller. 2) Every child from 8 to 15 years old who is not secured in a car seat must be secured in the vehicle’s seat belt. Know as Ohio’s “Booster Seat Law,” the new provision means that children who are four years old and 40 pounds must now graduate to a booster seat until 8 years old or 4’ 9” tall. The law protects children from 4 to 8 years old who previously could only be restrained by a seat belt system deisgned for adults. The booster seat raises a child up so the belt path falls low across the hips or upper thighs. The safest place for any child under 13 years old is in the back seat. The Health Department has four child passenger safety technicians, the only ones in the county certified to check child seats for correct installation. Call Health Promotion at 419-774-4544 for more information. |
DID YOU KNOW THAT OHIO HAS A NEW LAW REQUIRING CHILDREN TO BE IN BOOSTERS SEATS?
Click this link for the PDF that describes Ohio's new booster seat law.
Basically, once your child is over 40 pounds and more than a year old,
they must then be in a booster seat until 8 years old or 4' 9" tall.
Did you know that 4 out of 5 Child Car Seats are installed incorrectly?
Have your child's safety seat checked by trained professionals.
Health Promotion/Education will check child seat installations on Fridays. Please call 419-774-4544 for an
appointment. Park in the front of the building. See Health Promotion for assistance when entering the building.
Child Car Seat Chart |
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(Ohio Law) |
(Ohio Law) |
(Law begins Oct. 7, 2009) |
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| AGE & WEIGHT | Birth to 1 year AND 20 lbs. or less. | Over 1 year AND over 20 lbs. | Over 40 lbs. Ages 4-8 |
| TYPE of SEAT | Infant only or rear-facing convertible | Convertible / Forward-facing | Belt positioning booster seat |
| SEAT POSITION | Rear-facing only | Forward-facing | Forward-facing |
| ALWAYS MAKE SURE: | Children to one year and at least 20 lbs. in rear-facing seats. Harness straps at or below shoulder level. | Harness straps should be at or above shoulders. Most seats require top slot for forward-facing. | Belt positioning booster seats must be used with both lap and shoulder belt. Make sure the lap belt fits low and tight across the lap/upper thigh area and the shoulder belt fits snug crossing the chest and shoulder to avoid abdominal injuries. |
| WARNING: | All children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat. | All children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat. | All children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat. |
Call the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department at (419) 774-4544. |
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Ohio Law says children must be in an approved child passenger safety seat until age four and forty pounds. All occupants 15 and under must be restrained by a child safety seat, belt positioning booster, or lap and shoulder belts.
Child Car Seat Links:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm
Federal ratings of car seats for safety and ease of use
http://traumalink.chop.edu/carseat/pc/index2.html
(users should click on the first option to launch website)
http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm
Excellent website with lots of information on car seat manufacturers
http://www.seatcheck.org/recalls.html
Check to make sure your child's seat has not been recalled. You will need to know the car seat name, model, and date of manufacture. These are required by law to be on a white label permanently affixed to your seat.