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Keeping Your Baby Safe in the Car

One Minute Car Safety Check for Your Baby

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SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. the national, non-profit organization dedicated to child passenger safety. Our mission is to help reduce the number of serious and fatal traffic injuries suffered by children by promoting the correct, consistent use of safety seats and safety belts.

Founded in 1980, SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is nationally recognized for program excellence, training, and up-to-date technical materials. We provide consultation to advocates, parents, business leaders, the media, and professionals working in the fields of health care, traffic safety, and education.

Stephanie M. Tombrello, L.C.S.W., Executive Director of SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A., has been involved in child passenger safety since 1970. While shopping for a car seat for her infant daughter, she was shocked to learn that most of the models available in stores were unsafe. Stephanie and several other early pioneers in the field successfully petitioned the federal government to require crash testing for child restraints. She also wrote the petition which resulted in the federal requirement for manufacturers to provide shoulder belts in the rear seats of all post-1989 passenger vehicles.

In 1980, Stephanie founded a grassroots organization in the Los Angeles area which evolved to become SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. Under her leadership, the organization has become the premier resource for child passenger safety in the nation. Stephanie is a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician-Instructor and was appointed in 1995 to the National Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Restraint & Vehicle Compatibility.

One Minute Car Safety Check for Your Baby

In this video, SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. Executive Director Stephanie Tombrello explains how to buckle up the expectant mother to protect her unborn baby, how to select the appropriate safety seat for a newborn or older baby, how to prevent injuries from air bags, how to install rear-facing safety seats correctly, and the safest location in the car for the baby. She shows common types of car seat misuse and explains how to keep a fussy baby buckled up. The final segments include a one-minute car safety check and additional safety tips for the whole family.

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Protecting your special needs baby in the car

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Stephanie Tombrello: Hello, I am Stephanie Tombrello, Executive Director of SafetyBeltSafe U.

A. Today we are talking about how to protect our youngest travelers in the car. Now, I would like to share with you a one minute safety check to do after you have installed your safety seat in the car and placed your baby in it. Now, the first thing you want to make sure is that your safety is not moving more than an inch to the sides or front of the car, that you have it properly attached with either a latch connections or with your safety belt system.

Once you have put the baby in the seat, make sure that you check that the harness is snug enough. First, snug it on the child, then take your fingers and pinch to see if you can get any fabric between your fingers. If you can't get any harness fabric between your fingers, then move the retainer clip or chest clip to armpit level. Be sure that the harness is coming out of the safety seat at or below shoulder level, on the baby who is rear facing and of course, we recommend rear facing until a child is at least two years old.

Now, we have done a quick review of how to protect our youngest travelers in the car. SafetyBeltSafe U.

A. invites you to get in touch if you have additional questions.