Auto news on Youtube Oct 25 2017

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- [Jennifer] When installing an infant car seat

for the first time in your vehicle,

a lot of cars have bucket seats

that have a deep angle,

and that infant seat is all of the sudden

going to be at a pretty high angle like this,

and you can imagine that a newborn child

without any head control, they hit a bump,

their head could flop forward and block their airway.

So you want to make sure

that the car seat is actually installed

at a bit more of a recline,

typically 30-45 degrees from the vertical angle.

The large majority of car seats

actually have a recline indicator installed

on the car seat base.

Either a color that you can look for

or a little level indicator

to tell you when the car seat is installed properly.

If you can't get into that proper range,

so the baby's head is going to be reclined far enough,

you can always add a pool noodle,

cut to the same size as your car seat,

or a rolled up towel underneath that infant base

to get that extra little bit of recline that you need.

- [Cynthia] Latch versus non-latch.

My car doesn't have have latch,

so I really can't put my baby safely in the car.

Well, yes you can.

Latches don't exist in most cars in the center position

and the center rear position is the safest place

for a baby in any car, anywhere, anytime.

So, using latch in the center just doesn't happen

in almost every car.

So, we use seat belts in that position.

A correctly used seat belt is ultimately safer

than a latch bar that has a maximum weight

of 40 pounds or 48 pounds.

- [Suzie] If you are wondering

where you can get your car seat checked

to see if it's properly installed,

you can call your local police department

or your public safety facility.

Some fire departments offer the service,

and also highway patrols offer that.

Another place you can check, is again,

on the NHTSA website, that's N H T S A .gov

and under their child safety section

they have a place where you can actually look

for technicians in your area

who can safely install your car seat

and show you how it's done.

If you are having someone install your car seat,

you should make sure that they are nationally certified

before they install your seat.

- [Jennifer] You want to loosen all of the straps,

and pull them to the side

so you can place the child down into the infant seat.

Next, you want to pull their legs through

around the crotch strap.

If they don't reach the crotch strap all the way

you could always use a little receiving blanket

for extra cushion right there.

Click the crotch strap in.

Then you want to buckle that chest clip,

again, right at the armpit level,

so that it's on their hard ribcage in case of an accident.

You want to make sure then to pull the car seat tight

so that it's right up against their skin and their clothing:

no looseness so that you can't pinch that strap

in any way, shape or form.

Once you put it in the car,

you want to make sure you use that carry handle

back behind their head.

It's okay if the carry handle touches the seat

in front of the infant car seat,

as long as that seat isn't so far back

that it's pushing the car seat up.

It should just be able to touch gently

without actually moving the car seat

and changing the angle of it.

After you've done all those things,

make sure that the base is installed correctly

and it doesn't move more that one inch side to side,

and youR infant should be good to go.

(guitar music)