See, I’ve never actually used a child safety seat, but if there’s one thing I can tell from all the various reports I’ve read about them, they’re unnecessarily complex.  Either they are, or the laws governing them are, because people have to go to preposterous lengths to make sure they’re installed “correctly”.

Not long ago I described how the Pennsylvania State Police were running a child seat inspection campaign, and now I hear that Washington, D.C., will be running a similar campaign.  Here’s what one of the attendees had to say:

“I’m almost flabbergasted,” the D.C. resident said Tuesday as she stared at the newly installed seats. “After having five kids, I’ve been through the process of getting a seat and having it inspected. But I didn’t know a lot of the things I learned today.”

Five kids.  Five kids and five installed car seats later, and suddenly she’s learned more in one day than several years of actual experience.  There’s no other explanation–these seats must be ridiculously overcomplicated.

There’s got to be a way to make these things simpler and easy for already badly overworked parents to cope with.

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Heads up Pennsylvania residents– if you’ve got kids, chances are you know you need a car seat.  But what you may not know is that there is a specific way to put in that car seat.  And in some cases, if your car seat is not properly installed, it can result in fines for you, or, injury to the child.

But along comes the helpful folks at the Pennsylvania State Police to offer up free child seat safety check days, in which they’ll take a look at your installation, and if you’ve botched the job in any way, they’ll patch it up right.

And, if any cop tries to hassle you about it down the line, you have the ultimate excuse “I had a state trooper fix it at the last safety check day.  If YOU can’t get it right what hope do I have?”

Here’s the schedule of events in case you’re interested:

Wal-Mart in Elizabethville – checks 9/16-9/18

Summit Health Center in Chambersburg – checks 9/16 and 9/17

Pennsylvania State Barracks in Newport – checks 9/15 and 9/16

Pennsylvania State Barracks in York – checks 9/18

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For car owners looking to purchase or get new car seat covers, check out this special deal. These new Universal Full Set Car Seat are made from innovative fabrics carrying a fashionable design pattern.

As most common car seat covers in the market today, the Universal Full Set Car Seat perks up the old looking seats and protects them as well from being worn out. They are easy to install and fits most vehicles.

Included are the following:

• 2 pcs front bucket seat covers
• 1 pc rear bench seat’s back covers
• 1 pc rear bench seat covers
• 4 pcs headrest covers

Price: $24.99

(Source) Amazon

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People who have expired child car safety seats can now have a great option to get rid of them as they can drop them off at Shade Tree Garage or Marty’s Reliable Cycle. A special day has been designated in Morristown, NJ to kick-off the State’s first recycling effort for expired infant and child safety seats.

On Saturday, May 9, 2008, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, residents can go to the Morristown Town Hall Parking lot where they will learn how to take apart an infant/child safety seat and prepare it for recycling. After May 9th, the town will begin collecting properly disassembled car seats at curbside. Town residents will also be able to drop their disassembled car seats off at Shade Tree Garage and Marty’s Reliable Cycle in Morristown.

Most people are unaware that car safety seats expire five to six years after production. The plastics used in these seats deteriorate over time from sun and heat exposure and the seats become unsafe for use. Also, if a car seat has been in an accident, its protective qualities may be further compromised. Up to this point in time, owners have had two choices for disposing of the used or expired seats – giving them away or throwing them in the trash.

Charities and consignment or thrift shops have no way of screening the seats to know if they have expired or been in an accident and anyone picking up a car seat that has been placed at the curb for disposal are unknowingly putting their child at risk.

(Source) Press

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