WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe Kids Worldwidewants to reassure parents and careg...

1. Child Safety Experts Reassure Parents That Car Seats are
Safe and Effective When Correctly Used.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe Kids Worldwide
wants to reassure parents and caregivers that car seats are safe and
effective when used according to manufacturers' instructions. Every
car seat on the market in the United States has passed the same rigorous
crash tests required by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Parents
should not fear for their children's safety in cars in response to
a recent Consumers Union report raising questions about the performance
of infant car seats.
"We want parents to use their car seats and use them
correctly," said Lorrie Walker, technical advisor to Safe Kids
Worldwide and National Child Passenger Safety Board member. "If
your infant car seat is less than six years old, if it's never been
in a crash, if it's reclining at about a 45-degree angle in the
car, if it's secured tightly in the back seat and the harness
straps are adjusted correctly for your baby, then you're giving
your baby the safest ride possible with current technology."

2. Car seat manufacturers are required to
test their products against
federal standards using standardized
procedures. Most manufacturers say
they voluntarily test to higher
standards. The federal standards do
not
call for side-impact crash tests at this
time. Car seat manufacturers
are working with the International
Standards Organization to develop
global standards that will include side-impact tests; meanwhile, Walker
said, "In Australia, car seats have to pass a side-impact crash
test at 19 miles per hour, and that's the highest standard in the
world. Consumers Union tested car seats at 38 miles per hour. We want to
see the technology continue to improve, but we don't want parents
to lose confidence in their car seats today -- the best protection
available."
Walker also reminds parents that any car seat made after 2002 can
be installed either with safety belts or the LATCH system, if the
vehicle is equipped with lower anchors for a car seat. "Use safety
belts or LATCH for an infant, whichever you prefer, but not both. If
you're worried about LATCH, use the safety belt," said Walker.
"Take the time to read the instructions for your car seat cover to
cover -- and the owner's manual for your car."
Parents who need help installing or adjusting a car seat can get
free hands-on training from a nationally certified Child Passenger

3. Safety Technician through the state or local Safe Kids coalition. Visit
http://www.usa.safekids.org/ and click on "Find Coalitions and
Events Near You." Safe Kids Worldwide is the certifying body for
the nation's 30,000 Child Passenger Safety Technicians and has
inspected nearly 1 million car seats and booster seats through the Safe
Kids Buckle Up program established in 1996 in partnership with General
Motors.
Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations whose
mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of
children 14 and under. More than 450 coalitions in 16 countries bring
together health and safety experts, educators, corporations,
foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families.
The organization was founded in 1987 by Children's National Medical
Center with support from Johnson & Johnson.
Contact: Mike Livingston of Safe Kids Worldwide, (202) 662-4478.
CONTACT: Mike Livingston of Safe Kids Worldwide, +1-202-662-4478

4. Web site: http://www.safekids.org/