How Safe is Your Car for Your Child? [AUDIO]

Any parent knows, when it comes to installing a car seat, it can be a very frustrating task. But, it may not be the seat that’s causing the problem. A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found that only 21 of 98 vehicles tested made car seat installation a smooth and easy process.

Vehicles were tested on whether child-seat anchors were visible, easily accessible and usable without excessive force.

“Usually it’s a matter of finding the right seat for your vehicle,” said Tracy Noble, AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson. “You can’t necessarily take a seat that would fit on a bench seat in a mid-sized car and put it into a small, bucket seat vehicle and expect to get the same fit. There is a wide range of seats and a wide range of vehicles. You just have to do your homework.”

So, how do you know if you’re installing the seat properly? “You can go to your local police department or your local fire department. Sometimes, hospitals and community groups have certified child passenger safety seat technicians who can show you how to properly install the seat. You want to make sure the seat you’re using complies with your child’s height and weight limits as well. You also want to make sure when you’re switching the seat from vehicle to vehicle that it’s being installed correctly,” said Noble.