Car Seats

Kids Under 2 Require Rear Facing Child Seats in Illinois

April 23, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Effective January 1, 2019, the Illinois legislature amended the law known as the Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act, requiring children under two years old to ride in rear facing child seats unless they weigh more than 40 pounds. This rule change also includes new fines. Violators will be assessed $75 for the first offense, and $200 for each subsequent failure to comply.

Illinois law already required children under 8 to ride in a secure child safety seat. A child’s safety is, of course, the reasoning behind these regulations.

A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 35% of kids under age 12 that died in car crashes in 2016 in this country were not properly restrained. That means, that of the 732 motor vehicle crash deaths in that age group, at least 256 stories may have gone differently. That’s hundreds of families who might have had a different outcome.

Because Illinois law considers the first violation to be a petty offense, a person who has been charged with violating the Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act for the first time may avoid a conviction by successfully completing a child passenger safety instructional course and proving proof in court that they have a proper child safety seat for their vehicle.

Parents or guardians who have questions about how properly install child safety seats should reach out for help. One resource could be your local fire department. There are certified child passenger safety technicians who are available to help at firehouses, police stations, and sometimes hospitals. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration keeps a list that can be found here: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

Chicago residents can find help by phone too:

Chicago Police Department: Dial 311
Chicago Fire Department: 312-747-6691

Illinois is offering free car seat assessments tomorrow

September 18, 2015 by Jay Stefani Leave a Comment

Child Passenger Safety Week comes to a close with National Seat Check Saturday

There comes a time when every child takes the next step. Or in this case, the next seat. For as long as I’ve been practicing law, and for as long as I’ve been a parent, one of the more nerve-wracking topics that inevitably becomes a source of frustration for adults has been car seats. Everyone has questions about them—their safety, their installation, the right time to swap seats for a growing toddler—and everyone has, at one point, expressed insecurities when making the leap from infant seat to convertible seat to no-seat at all.

My daughter, who just turned six, took the leap from rear-facing seat to convertible seat just a few years ago. Now, she’s settled into a convertible. In no time at all, she’ll soon outgrow it. The cycle has predictably been tough to keep up with. Each time we’ve had to re-think car seats, we’ve had to consider models, styles, purpose and safety. And when it comes to safety, we’ve gone the extra mile to ensure the best-case scenario. But even still the adjustment has never been as smooth as we’d like it to be.

We’ve seen it all: seats that need rubber mats to prevent them from slipping, harnesses with five-point buckles and the ever-challenging, ever-confounding booster seat. Invariably, there’s always something new to learn.

Car seat guidelines form the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Case in point: news coming out of Ann Arbor last week had some interesting stats about the dangers associated with boosters. It turns out children who ride in boosters are twice as likely to suffer serious injuries or even death due to an auto accident, but a new study from the University of Michigan is also showing that booster seat-aged kids are also less likely to have their seats inspected properly. An analysis from the University of Michigan Health System, which conducted booster seat inspections for kids 4 and older, showed that just 1 in 10 inspections covered booster seat-aged children ages 4–7.

As Child Passenger Safety Week comes to a close this weekend, along with National Seat Check Saturday taking place tomorrow, there are several opportunities for you to brush up on your car seat education. Several stations in Illinois, including a family safety fair taking place tomorrow in Downers Grove at Illinois Tollway headquarters (2700 Ogden Avenue) from 10am–2pm, are encouraging parents to get their seats inspected as part of the nationwide awareness campaign. Roughly 90 percent of child safety seats inspected by the Illinois State Police are installed improperly, according to records kept by state police. That’s a significantly high percentage with all the technology and awareness campaigns going on in this day and age. So take precautionary measures and find a service station near you. If you’re anything like my wife and me, you’re going to learn more than you ever thought you would.

Finding the Right Car Seat for Your Child

October 16, 2014 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Keep your child safe in a car seat

Infant car seats come in many shapes and sizes. They can be big, small, subtle and outlandish. They come affixed with gadgets and hinges, some of which look easy to manage for the average earth dweller and others that look as though they’ve been developed in a galaxy far, far away. They can be comfortable, inviting, odd looking, and entirely perplexing. They require constant care, adjustments, and their lifespan can seem shorter than that of the average fruit fly.

When it comes down to it finding the right car seat is an art form, requiring a good deal of time, energy, and research. Thankfully, there are a number of resources and consumer grades to help you determine which car seats (and what prices!) are right for you. We’ve included a few snippets below:

Consumer Reports recently published a list of the best car seat manufacturers and brands, following its requisite crash and safety testing of infant seats. All in all, 13 infant car seats earned the best rating post-crash test, which increased and/or changed parameters like speed (from 30 to 35 miles per hour) and seat placement to better gauge durability. Based on the report, infant seats tested ranged from $55 to $440. Somewhat surprisingly, higher costs didn’t always equal better quality. The $55 seat (the Evenflo Discovery 5), for example, earned the better rating, but the Orbit Baby Infant Car Seat G2, which rings up at $440, received a basic score. Cars.com put together the 13 best seats

Britax B-Safe
Chicco KeyFit
Chicco KeyFit 30
Cybex Aton 2
Cosco Comfy Carry
Evenflo Secure Ride 35
Graco SnugRide 30 (Classic Connect)
Maxi-Cosi Mico
Safety 1st Comfy Carry Elite
Safety 1st Comfy Carry Elite Plus
Safety 1st onBoard35 Air
The First Years Contigo
The First Years Via I470

BabyCenter.com went straight to the source, asking moms what they believed to be the safest infant car seats on the market in 2014. The top-ranked Chicco Keyfit 30 ($195) features a bubble ball, similar to a carpenter’s balance bar, which helps determine if he seat is placed at the proper angle. Mom’s agreed that the Chicco Keyfit 30 is one of the easiest seats to install; as one mommy critic put it: “Light, but safe. That’s all that matters.” Others mommy picks from BabyCenter.com include the Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 ($88), a bestseller that’s both safe and affordable, running just under the $100 mark. Ideal features include a comfortable headrest and neck support, along with providing a good deal of sunshade.

As Parent Magazine puts it, “Nothing is more stressful than the first time you have to trust the car and car seat to get your baby home.” While that first nervous moment may trump them all, it’s easy to forget how stressful your child’s ensuing growth patterns ultimately require you to do it over again. That’s why Parent recommends the Diono RadianR100 Convertible Car Seat ($207.99). The Diono can support up to 100 lbs, depending on how you use it: It holds the baby in rear-facing mode from 5 to 40 pounds, forward-facing 20 to 65 pounds, and forward-facing up to 57 inches. Bonus: It will also act as a booster up to 100 pounds. The 3-in-1 Graco Nautilus ($139.99) also comes highly recommended. The harness straps can be used from 20 to 65 pounds and can transform from a high-back booster to a backless booster, should you desire those options.

Child Passenger Safety Week: What’s a Safe Car Seat?

September 16, 2014 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

You’re a new parent and life is now a little more interesting. You spend your days thinking about baby food instead of BBQ. You’re decorating nurseries rather than painting man caves. You may not know it yet but you’re favorite television show is about to change—from Scandal to Sesame Street.

And some adjustments are bigger than others. Making sure your child is secure while riding in a vehicle may be one of the biggest and—and most misunderstood—of them all. Safe Kids Worldwide estimates that nearly 82% of all car seats are installed and/or being used incorrectly. SeatCheck.org notes that children are safest when situated in the backseat, yet six out of 10 drivers believe that it’s okay for kids 12 and younger to sit in the front seat equipped with a passenger airbag. Nearly 70% of parents believe kids eight or younger don’t need the assistance of a booster seat, and only 21% of kids between ages 4–8 are “at least on occasion” using a booster seat.

Unfortunately, too many parents take these numbers for granted.

In the United States alone, more than 650 children ages 12 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and more than 148,000 were injured in 2011, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDCP estimates that proper child car seat use reduces the risk for death to infants by 71% and to toddlers by 54% in passenger vehicles. Booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children aged 4–8 years when compared with seat belt use alone. For older children and adults, seat belt use reduces the risk for death and serious injury by approximately half.

In anticipation of National Child Passenger Safety Week, happening September 14-20, we’re taking cues from around the web on what you can do to make sure your child – and his or her car seat – is as safe as possible.

When it doubt, check it out
SaferCar.gov and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provide a convenient tool that allows parents to find the nearest car seat inspection station in their local communities. Simply search by state or zip code, click on a location and head to your destination. The site even provides an option for parents to find locations with Spanish speaking technicians. Many communities, including Mount Pleasant, are also offering free inspections during Safety Week, so be on the lookout.

The X-Factor
When it comes to car seats, several factors come into play: height, weight, age, and type. There are four types of car seats to consider: The rear-facing car seat, the forward-facing car seat, the booster seat, and the seat belt. Also from SaferCar.gov: a list of car seat types and the benefits each has to offer for all age ranges.

Crash tests, not just for dummies
Consumer Reports writes about five ways to save your child’s life, which include proper harnessing, buckling up, and resisting the urge to text and drive. You can also check out a video on CR’s new car seat crash test, also being reported in the New York Times.

Time is on your side
About.com features a great interview with mother and Child Passenger Safety Technician Casey Leach. The certified CPST talk shop, and most importantly, when you should start talking car seats in preparation for your child. Spoiler alert: not too soon. Car seats depreciate the moment they leave the manufacturing house.

City by city, state by state
Each state has its own child passenger safety laws and Illinois has a number of specific guidelines according to the Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act. CyberDriveIllinois.com, a division of the office of the Illinois Secretary of State, has all the information you’re looking for, including age guidelines and a list of recommended quick links on the subject.