OCR Text |
Show Page 10 The Gunnison Valley Gazette Thursday, May 27, 2010 Correct car seat use By SGT. CARLISLE UHP As I contemplated how I would start this article about the importance of using a car seat correctly, a young mother approached me at a convenience store in Ephraim. She wanted to ask me a question. In my sick cop mind I thought she was going to ask, "What is a cop's favorite donut?” She didn't even go there but instead began to tell me that when she would go around a corner, her child's car seat would tip to one side or the other and as much as she tried she could not get the car seat in tight. This was a legitimate concern. Not all law enforcement officers are trained to be car seat technicians. I have been to a fortyhour course and then went on to become a national instructor for car seat safety. I assured her that this is a common problem and in most cases is easily fixed. I was grateful that she was concerned enough to ask a big ugly officer to help her out. She was quite lucky that she happened to find someone who has training in car seat installation. We went out to her car, and in this case she just needed someone who had a little more insight and/or training to make sure that her child's car seat was safely secured. She left the store much less nervous about her child being hurt. Statistics are rather boring but can paint a very clear picture at times. It is estimated that over 90% of all car seats are not used correctly, meaning that there is at least one misuse. A misuse could range from something that may not endanger your child in the event of a crash or the misuse may cost your child's life. Examples of car seat misuse can range from not having the car seat tight in the vehicle to not having the harness straps in the correct position, to using the wrong seat for the child; the list is numerous. I ask you, are you one of the 90% that is not using the car seat correctly or one of the 10% that is perfect in installation and proper use? There are many ways that I could go with this article but I have decided to concentrate on a few changes or safest practices and save the harder questions to answer for the CAR SEAT CHECKPOINT AT GUNNISON MARKET ON JUNE 2nd FROM 3 TO 6 PM. Fact or fiction? • You should turn you child from rear facing to forward facing when the child has reached one year old regardless of the child's weight. This is not true. As a car seat technician, we used to say, turn a rear-facing child around when two things were met: One, the child is one year of age and, Two, the child has reached 20 pounds. Both are still true, however to be the safest, keep a child rear-facing as long as the child safety seat will allow by weight or height. Most I._ IN ga m,... IIIimairaginnEmmumassmonsamilmifiligil ir0/01 ■1. •I - I.E. Min NM _,_—.I - - II. MID. MI ...--.n NNW_ Imo g 1 ■..., ,• I •11 ' i • • ■ • ir 192 South Main, Gunnison 435-528-5730 Fax: 435-528-5437 tami.hansen@american-national.com New office hours: M-W-F 9am-5pm; Tu-Th 1pm-7pm; evenings & weekends by appointment. ourtesy oto A car seat safety check point will be held on Wednesday June 2 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Gunnison Market parking lot. newer car seats will accommodate a rear-facing child to 22 pounds. Some seats will allow a child to stay rear-facing to 35 pounds. Why is this so important? It's simple. A car seat is designed to protect your child in the event of a crash. In a crash with a rear facing car seat, the forces of the crash or the energy is diffused or spread out in many ways. First, the car seat is designed to absorb some of the energy. The harness system in the car seat will also diffuse energy. The seat belt or LATCH system will reduce energy so that by the time the energy gets to your child most of the energy is gone. The remaining impact force goes to the body. In an infant the strongest part of their body is the back and shoulders. If any of these energy reducers "VW -AU 3 East 700 South • Ephraim 435 462-2441 ,-. cre-4 We do sell locker beef 896-5260 546 N. Main St. • Venice 11. Honoring the Veterans (435) 283-8189 777 N. Main St. • Ephraim (435) 283-5776 850 N. 200 E. • Ephraim (435) 529-7483 11 . 1 .1114 IN 11 1111 .. . ' , . :0110etirr,-:: Honoring those who gave their all, and those that still serve us today. i 1 .14:- ....'' . ,. Website: www.appletreeinn.net Your Second Home -. u._. (435) 529-7472 760 West SR 50 • Salina SATTERWHITE LOG HOMES Saluting the Veterans SPRINGER TURNER FUNERAL HOME , 260 N 400 W • Richfield 896-6333 150E Main St • Salina • 529-3821 , Our Gratitude to The Veterans i a at. . : a Fox 435-896-9465 Nice 8 Comfortable Proud to Honor Those Who Served eledhiCal Seitidee Honoring Those Who Served (435) 835-4975 20 S. 100 W. • Axtell 'T. (435)896-5481 Apoe Tree hot ROWNSON TRANSPORT INC. 911 E. Hwy 89 North • Gunnison • . % Toll Free: 866-896-5481 /11•..._ Honoring Our Nation's Veterans 528-5001 - _I GUNNISON TELEPHONE CO. 29 S. Main • Gunnison •---. .:,--to .. ar I $150 $100 $350 $500 $150 EPHRAIM • DELTA. PRICE • RICHFIELD • BEAVER • ST GEORGE , 1 1 111 il $15 $10 $40 $50 $15 $4 $2 528-7236 AWOL 375 E 1620 S • Salina Ad ' department, inc. Family (4) 62 & older Adult Day Usage 18 & Younger Day Usage = .„ !II ' Scenic Hills Super 8 Honoring Our Veterans - Past & Present Single Adult 19 & Older 16 - 18 year old 13 - 15 year old Couples Monthly Yearly $25 $200 Saluting Our Nation's Heroes e Bailey Farms i-rt v Te Utilt* MEMBERSHIP PRICES ■ 2010 I Proudly Saluting Those Who Served Our Nation Gunnison 435-528-5955 Emo THAL D ,y Cowley Farm & Feed Lot & Venice Feed & Cattle Co. Mon - Sat 5 am - 10 pm Closed Sundays .00Y BAR4, 62 South Main mcDonalds Here to serve your healthcare needs •••••••• BODY BARN 41/44fri- 283-5675 1)4 Sped South Main, Gunnison 528- 3366 A Healthcare 11=1•7LAIZ BUL4a7 V41.1.;rte gRADaAYMO -919gg 1304w, I/ OR MORE SPECIALS GET OFF SAG141 SANPETE VA V LLEY HOSPITAL Intermountain *5 STAR :4/DRIVE IN ism! J--.— Call Arlene 528-3600 or Teri 528-7894 for more information Saluting Our Veterans Walmart 6e1, 67;; Has immediate opeNiNas For emiLdreN OF au. aaeSI Ages 10 and up Tuesdays & Fridays June 1 - July 23 8 to 10 am • $40 Contact Doug Agren 201-0137 ■1 Tami Hansen, Agent are not working the way they should or in conjunction with one another then the energy of the crash will just go right to your child. Not a good scenario. Fact or fiction? • You cannot have the car seat handle up while traveling. This is true for most car seats. There are newer car seats that will allow the handle to be in an upright position while traveling. You must read the car seat instructions to know for sure. NEVER ASSUME you know. Child passenger safety is constantly changing. Come to the CAR SEAT CHECKPOINT ON JUNE 2 FROM 3 TO 6 PM AT GUNNISON MARKET. The Utah Highway Patrol would love to make sure your IN-HoMe bceNSed Daycare • TENNIS LESSONS Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant AMERICAN NATIONAL Family of Insurance Companies 1 =1•1111 It I IIM i ■ .- I ow I mt. • if._ Mn MN Email: info@appletreeinn.net 145 South Main Richfield UT 84701 Malmgren Trucking El Mexicano Restaurant Proud to Honor the Veterans Honoring Our Veterans 435-5294326 462-5787 • 848 S Hwy 89 • Mt Pleasant 529-2132 • 1535 S. State • Salina 1230 S. Interchange Rd. • Aurora |