Besides having auto insurance coverage, it is important to keep your child in their car seat during car trips. If you should have an accident, your insurance policy will help to repair your car; a child restraint system will help to protect your precious child from injuries.

A study done by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine in the summer of 2012 found that only a small percentage of parents actually used car restraints for their children.

Some parents point to the fact that they are new inventions and weren’t used generations ago. While this may have been true back then, studies have been done which show that they save lives.

In fact, many organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that people use car seats until their child is at least 8 years of age.

Using a child harness properly can be difficult. This is especially true for first time parents or for grandparents who have never had to use such a device before.

According to studies, a restraint system that is improperly used can be very dangerous. For that reason, Transport Canada is offering tips to help motorists use them properly.

1. A child safety harness should be properly secured to the vehicle using the vehicle’s seat belt. Lap belts are best to use, but a shoulder belt can be used with a clip.
2. Install the car seat in the back of the vehicle. Children should not be in the front of the car or near air bags.
3. It should face the rear of the car until a child is at least 2 years of age. At that time, or upon the recommendation of a doctor, a parent can turn it around so the child is forward facing.
4. Use the proper that matches your child’s height and weight. Very young children should be restrained in a safety device especially designed for infants. They recline and have extra protection for the child’s neck and head. Car restraints for toddlers and pre-schoolers have a high back in order to protect the child’s head and to keep them from moving around in the vehicle. Meanwhile, models for older children are usually similar to a booster. They are basically designed to hold the car’s belt in the proper place during trips.
5. Straps and belts should be snug, but not too tight. You may need to adjust the straps and belts as your child grows. During the winter months when your child is wearing a heavy coat, you may also need to make some adjustments on the car’s straps.
6. Car harness systems should be thrown away after a crash, even if the crash was very minor. This is because a crash can create cracks in the device which could affect the safety of your child.
7. Thoroughly read the instructions provided by the manufacturer before installing in your vehicle. If you have questions about the instructions, you can call the manufacturer for more information.