Car Seat Safety: What Parents Need to Know | Houston, TX

At Fred Haas Toyota Country, the safety of all our passengers is our #1 priority. This Child Passenger Safety Week, we’re giving our drivers in Houston, Spring, The Woodlands, and Cypress, TX, everything they need to know about car seats to ensure their child is protected on the road ahead.

This year, Child Passenger Safety Week runs from September 20th through September 26th, and when shopping for a new Toyota, safety should be at the forefront of your mind. Protect your children on the road with the tips below!

How do I properly install a child car seat to meet safety standards?

Did you know that car seats save 325 children under the age of 5 in one year? Choosing the right car seat and installing it properly makes a world of difference. 

How to install your car seat depends on which type of car seat you have. 

• Rear-facing car seats
• Forward-facing car seats
• Booster seats

We’re going to go over how to install a rear-facing seat.

Installing Rear-facing Seats

Before installing, check your vehicle’s owner manual for any extra information on the car’s belt systems, as each vehicle is built differently.

• Place the car seat in the back seat in its rear-facing position. If you have a rear-facing-only infant car seat, place the base in the back seat.
• Thread your seat belt through its rear-facing path, avoiding any twists in the belt.
• Buckle the seat belt.
• Once buckled, lock the seat belt using either the vehicle’s belt system or the car seat lock-off.
• Press down on the car seat and tighten it.
• When testing how secure the car seat is, make sure it doesn’t move side-to-side or front-to-back more than an inch.
  • With a rear-facing-only infant seat, press down firmly on the car seat and tighten the straps.
• Ensure your car seat is installed at the correct recline angle. Most rear-facing seats have angle indicators to help you. This may need to be adjusted as your child grows.
• For rear-facing-only infant seats, you’ll attach your infant carrier to the base.

Lastly, ensure the seat’s chest clip is at armpit level, and make sure the harness has a snug fit. If you can’t pinch any extra harness at shoulder level, you’re good to go.

The Fred Haas Toyota Country team is happy to help answer any questions on Toyota safety at (281) 357-4000. Come see us and explore our safe, reliable Toyota inventory at 22435 SH-249 in Houston, TX.