Michigan Auto Law Offering Car Seat Inspections & Installations from a Certified Car Seat Safety Technician

USA - English

News provided by

Michigan Auto Law

Sep 12, 2013, 03:00 ET

Farmington Hills, MI (PRWEB) September 12, 2013 -- Car crashes are a leading killer of children in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But the good news is, parents can protect their kids by putting them in the right car seat and making sure it's installed properly, said injury attorney Steven M. Gursten, head of Farmington Hills-based Michigan Auto Law.

To help prevent child injuries due to improperly installed car seats, Michigan Auto Law is offering free child safety seat inspections and installations:

When: During National Child Passenger Safety Week, which starts September 15, 2013. Make an appointment, anytime between 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Where: Michigan Auto Law, 30101 Northwestern Highway Farmington Hills, MI 48334.

Who: Open to the public.

How to make an appointment: Call Michigan Auto Law at (800) 968-1001, or e-mail at [email protected].

About the car seat safety technician: Michigan Auto Law’s car seat safety technician is certified by SafeKids Worldwide, and has successfully completed the National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program. This is a government program and any child safety technician in the U.S. must be certified by SafeKids Worldwide.

"There are so many car seat types and models, it's tough to figure out which one is right for your child," Gursten said. "But the right car seat or booster fits your child and your car, and will help your child ride as safely as possible. Stop by our office and we will help install your car seat, or make sure it's properly secured. We're also here to answer any questions you may have about child safety."

Michigan’s child passenger safety law

According to the State of Michigan, Michigan’s child passenger safety law requires:

Children younger than age 4 to ride in a car seat in the rear seat if the vehicle has a rear seat. If all available rear seats are occupied by children under 4, then a child under 4 may ride in a car seat in the front seat. A child in a rear-facing car seat may only ride in the front seat if the airbag is turned off.
Children to be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4-feet-9-inches tall. Children must ride in a seat until they reach the age requirement or the height requirement, whichever comes first.

Car seat safety guidelines

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has established some guidelines for what kind of car seat is best based on a child’s age:

Birth to 12 months: Children under age 1 should ride in a rear-facing car seat. Remember, there are different types of rear-facing car seats. For instance, infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position and allow the child to remain rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1 to 3 years: A child should stay in a rear facing car seat as long as possible, then transition to a forward facing seat with a harness. The child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat manufacturer.

4 to 7 years: Children should be secured in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer. Once the child outgrows the forward-facing car seat, it's time to travel in a booster seat, in the back seat.

8 to 12 years: Children should be secured in a booster seat in the back seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs (not the stomach). The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.

It’s important to follow your car seat manufacturer’s instructions and your vehicle owner’s manual on how to install your car seat or booster seat; and to pay attention to the weight limits, Gursten said.

About Steven M. Gursten: Steven M. Gursten is an attorney and head of Michigan Auto Law. He is president of the Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association and serves as an executive board member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Group. Gursten is also past co-chair of the Michigan Association for Justice Automobile Accident No-Fault Committee and past-president of the AAJ Truck Accident Litigation Group. He speaks at legal seminars across the country on insurance, No-Fault litigation and helping auto accident victims.

About Michigan Auto Law: Michigan Auto Law has 18 lawyers exclusively handling auto accident and No-Fault insurance litigation throughout the state. The law firm has received the top-reported jury verdict for a car or truck accident victim for the past 15 consecutive years, according to published reports by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Michigan Auto Law has offices in Farmington Hills, Sterling Heights, Detroit, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids. For more information, call Michigan Auto Law at (800) 777-0028.