Friday, September 20, 2013

*Giveaway* Safety 1st Elite 80 3-in-1 Car Seat: Child Passenger Safety Week

Safety 1st's Elite 80 3-in-1 car seat
UPDATE: Congrats to Laura J, who won the Safety 1st Elite 80 3-in-1 car seat! I agree! The expiration date info is surprising and important. Please email me at losangelesstory@gmail.com with your shipping information. Thanks again to everyone who participated, and stay tuned for more giveaways!

As I mentioned in my last post, tomorrow marks the last day of the very important Child Passenger Safety Week.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Child Passenger Safety Week was launched to inform parents and caregivers of how to properly secure kids up to 12 years old in the best car-restraint system.

And I've got some pretty amazing news! Safety 1st, a leader in child-safety products, is sponsoring a giveaway for one lucky L.A. Story reader to win its Elite 80 3-in-1 car seat, which serves as a rear-facing, front-facing and booster seat for kids 5 lbs-100 lbs. (See below.)

Just now hitting store shelves, the Elite 80 converts as your child grows, and features the Air Protect cushion system, which protects your child's head while buckled in. The seat also features GCell HX patented foam to provide high-quality body protection.
Julie Vallese, Safety 1st Consumer Safety Expert, offers some great tips for car-seat safety:


Importance of Rear Facing
In March of 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their car seat recommendations, advising that children should remain rear facing until the age of 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight requirements allowed by their car seat. According to a study in the Journal of Injury Prevention, children under the age of 2 are 75% less likely to die or be severely injured in the event of a car crash if they are rear facing. When a child is rear facing, their head, neck and spine are better supported and, in the event of an accident, crash forces are distributed over the child’s entire body.

Installation
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 75% of car seats are installed incorrectly.  Every car and car seat has different requirements for the safest installation, so before you get started it is important to read both the car seat and car manual. 

Typically the center rear seat is the safest place for a car seat, and never install a car seat in the front seat.  If your car does not have a latch connector for the middle seat, you can use the middle seat belt to properly secure the base.  When installing, make sure the base of the car seat moves no more than an inch from side to side. An easy way to test this is to hold at the belt path. 

Car Seat Expiration
Never use used or old car seats.  Car seats do have an expiration date, and it is to understand the risks associated with using an expired or old car seat.  The reason for an expiration date is because plastic can warp and materials can fray, which can make car seats less safe to use. Car seat technology and state and federal car seat regulations change. A car seat deemed safe more than 6 years ago may no longer meet federal testing regulations. Important warning labels may wear out, and instruction books may get lost, which can lead to improper use of the car seat.

*** GIVEAWAY ***

I'm giving away 1 Elite 80 3-in-1 Car Seat, courtesy of Safety 1st.

To enter, leave a comment below, telling me your best safety tip—or what car safety tip listed above most resonated with you.

For more chances to win, follow me on Twitter and retweet this giveaway. I'm at @la_story. Or you can "Like" the L.A. Story Facebook page and share the giveaway.

Just be sure to leave extra comments telling me you did so. 

Good luck, and I will announce the winner on Monday, Sept. 30!

44 comments:

Unknown said...

I didn't know that car seats have expiration dates. I just learned that this week and it resonates with me the most.

Unknown said...

I retweeted the giveaway! @just4gaily

Ashley said...

Get your car seat checked by the pros.

hewella1 at gmail dot com

Ash said...

Parents are strongly encouraged to keep their children rear-facing up til at least 2 years old or longer! We keep our kids until 2, hopefully longer with my daughter.

demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

MaryAnn said...

I didn't know that we are recommended to keep our children rear facing for so long.

jenn mcclearn said...

my best advice is do not put a coat or snowsuit on in the car seat, place the coat on backwards once straps are in place or use a carseat cover/blanket


aerojenn@aol.com

Samantha said...

I didnt realize that those carseats held kids that big, I thought boosters is what they were suppose to sit in, but I love it look slike more protection for my little one.

Samantha said...

I tweeted about your giveaway @couponswag

Samantha said...

liked on facebook and shared www.facebook.com/couponswag1

Unknown said...

That car seats have expiration dates.
alaine74014 at gmail dot com

Laura J said...

Oh for me....its the one above about expiration dates! I didnt know they had them! Our car seat for Carter we got from my sister...so I am not sure how old it is! I am going to have to go outside and see if I can find a date on it!
Thanks for the info!!!!
landfjacobson @ charter.net

Laura J said...

I like you and shared on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/laura.jacobson.752/posts/658081584211425
landfjacobson @ charter.net

Laura J said...

I follow you on Twitter and tweeted
https://twitter.com/ilovemybeagle22/status/381873683679027200
landfjacobson @ charter.net

Unknown said...

The update on rear-facing suggestions resonated with me. Now it's 2 years old!

Unknown said...

FB like and share: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.beer.90/posts/500838453345812

Unknown said...

Tweet! https://twitter.com/Elannbe/status/381918355625484289

kellyr78 said...

I like the tip that said when installing, make sure the base of the car seat moves no more than an inch from side to side. It's important to install the seat correctly.
kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

kellyr78 said...

I follow you on twitter(kellydinpa) and tweeted
https://twitter.com/Kellydinpa/status/381955738718846977
kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

latanya t said...

I learned about the expiration dates.n That was really helpful.

dlatany at gmail dot com

d schmidt said...

My best tip is extended rear facing, I had no idea about the expiry dates

mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

Cassie Eastman said...

The importance of rear facing, I wish I would have known with my first but once our second I am much more knowledgeable thanks to bloggers and companys! So thank you!

April G said...

The tip that resonated the most with me is installation. We thought we'd done a good job with our firstborn in his car seat, but when we went to have it checked out by a pro, we learned we'd been using the wrong latch positioners! Our car isn't equipped to use latch in the middle seat, and we didn't know we were using the latches for the side seats!

aprilgilbertson(at)gmail(dot)com

Jbraswell10 said...

I'm glad you mentioned extended rear facing. It is much safer. I think parents also need to be sure that they are using the car seat harness properly. It should be snug enough on the child and the chest clip should be at armpit level.

J Rodney said...

What resonated with me the most was the fact that children should remain rear facing until the age of 2, this is such a change from years ago, but I am so glad that they have found it to work so much better.

J Rodney said...

I follow on twitter as @JRFrugalMom, and I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/JRFrugalMom/status/382698899682492417

Tamra said...

My tip is for the parents - leave the cell phone in the back seat so you don't get distracted!

Tabathia B said...

the installation is most important especially make sure the base of the car seat moves no more than an inch from side to side

tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

ErinT said...

I always make sure to have it professionally installed. There is usually a car seat installation clinic run by our local police department once a month.

izzyabbysmom2006 AT yahoo DOT com

ErinT said...

Shared on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/erin.thompson.9231/posts/10201418282330978


izzyabbysmom2006 AT yahoo DOT com

ErinT said...

Tweeted and followed

https://twitter.com/izzyabbysmom/status/383697364575211520

izzyabbysmom2006 AT yahoo DOT com

Aunt Maggie Rocks said...

The car seat expiration part! I had no idea car seats expired until recently and I was shocked. I mean, I knew not to use one from the 90s or something, but I had no idea they had dates.

Maggie Armstrong
maggie at pdclarion dot com

Aunt Maggie Rocks said...

I like you on facebook!

Maggie True Armstrong
maggie at pdclarion dot com

Aunt Maggie Rocks said...

I follow you on twitter as @auntmaggierocks.

Maggie True Armstrong
maggie at pdclarion dot com

Aunt Maggie Rocks said...

I tweeted!

https://twitter.com/AuntMaggieRocks/status/383758125704445952

Maggie True Armstrong
maggie at pdclarion dot com

Cheryl said...

That you should make sure your children remain rear facing until the age of 2.

Cheryl said...

Tweeted: https://twitter.com/cherylrabbit/status/384454242645200897

Chris DeHart said...

I didn't know that car seats have expiration dates

cdehart1985 at yahoo dot com

Chris DeHart said...

I'm following u on twitter @cdehart1985

Chris DeHart said...

I retweeted your tweet about the giveaway @cdehart1985

Unknown said...

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 75% of car seats are installed incorrectly.

tall_person13 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I'm following on twitter @tall_person13

Unknown said...

I retweeted your tweet @tall_person13

Unknown said...

Rear face your child until they are at least 2 years old

Abigail said...

I support extended rear facing! And its always a good idea to take your car seats to be checked at a fire or police station

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails