NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Technical Conference June 24 – 26, 2014

Posted on by SuperCarSeatGeek
The faces behind Super Car Seat Geek!
The faces behind Super Car Seat Geek!

Abbie and Erica attended a technical safety conference hosted by NHTSA and the regional advocates and representatives from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico as well as many of the major car seat manufacturers.The conference was host to many classes and hands on training for those in the child passenger safety fields.

To say that we were excited is an understatement!  We drove out to State College, PA ready to learn and network.  We met many people and put faces to names.  We also are now closer to becoming trained in the transportation of children with special needs.  (Look for more information about our training coming this August 2014!)  Most importantly we learned more about implementing car seat safety and the changes in the vehicle and car seat manufacturer industries.

We took to Manufacturer updates including sessions with:

  • Bubble Bum
  • Chicco
  • Diono
  • Evenflo
  • Nuna
  • Recaro
  • Summer Infant
  • Baby Trend
  • Cybex
  • Graco
  • SafeGuard
  • Orbit Baby
  • Ride Safer
  • Uppa Baby

Each manufacture provided us with tech updates, new and upcoming developments and products, compatibility issues with specific vehicles (such as the new inflatable seat belts made by Ford and Lexus) and information about non-regulated or aftermarket product use with their specific seats.  It was great to hear all the unique features of each car seat and we were able to play with each seat, hands-on!  (That’s a CPST’s dream right there!)

Our first day was full of classes and networking (and Abbie’s Birthday!)  There were so many classes to choose from and we chose to focus on classes that would expand our curbside and class education with the parents we interact with at seat checks.

Sample of Side Impact Protection Logo

The first class we took was a Side Impact update class taught by Diono’s CPST, Allana Pinkerton.  We see lots of signs and ads for the new side impact protection and different logos but no one know’s exactly what they mean. Right now, there are no NHTSA standards for side impact, however the new regulations will finally level the playing field by ensuring each manufacturer follows the same testing criteria and that each dummy used maintains the same HIC (head injury criteria) scores. We did learn about the upcoming regulations being written, that NHTSA has regulations open for public comment so that we, the people, can comment on the language of the regulation and the engineering behind their studies to develop the regulations and the specific criteria used during testing.

The second class was Curbside Application of the New Curriculum.  While we already did an updated course on the overhaul of the original class taken to become certified,  this class provided many tips and tricks on the “curbside” education of parents.  We learned acronyms such as BBLTT (extra bacon and tomato in that one!) — which stands for Buckle, Belt Path, Lock, Tighten and Tether.  We also learned Snug to Hug – when you are holding your child and danger is approaching, you turn then away from the danger and hug them tight.  The same applies in car seats, turn your child (rear facing) away from danger and hug them tight (keep that harness tight!)

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We ended the day learning about the support materials in our home state of Pennsylvania and about the various safety materials and brochures that we can pass on to the families we interact with.  We spoke briefly about the Penn Dot’s “Yellow Dot” program and learned about some of horse and buggy road regulations in the Amish parts of the state.

The next morning was another early one, we started our morning with Crash Dynamics learning about the effects of crashes on car seats, seat belts and the subtle ways an extensive car crash can damage a harness or seat belt through “loading marks.”  We also explored how a CPST can help law enforcement in determining if car seats or seat belts were in use.  We ended the conference with Transporting Children with Special Needs with two New Jersey certified special need instructors, Jackie Leach and Tara Mohamed.  We learned how to use traditional car seats for children with special needs and how to facilitate wheel chair transport and some basics on special need seats.  We are hoping to take the class with Ms. Leach in the next few weeks.

For more information or for detailed review of what we learned this week, sign up for our upcoming class:

Super Car Seat Geek Crash Course in Safety

Or contact us to schedule a seat check today!

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Ride Safer Travel Vest: A Versatile Travel Buddy

Posted on by SuperCarSeatGeek

Let’s face it: traveling with kids can be quite challenging at times; and not just from the whining and “Are-we-there-yets”.  There’s a lot of stuff to haul around too!  In addition to bringing all of your clothes, toiletries and bribes items for entertainment or distraction, you also need to bring their car seat or booster.  Since the average child needs a booster until they’re between 10 and 12 years of age, we parents have a lot of things to lug around for a long time!  But there is an option that can make traveling with a slightly older child much easier!–The Ride Safer Travel Vest (RSTV).

4 is 7.5 yrs old, 50 pounds and 48
“4” gives the RSTV a thumbs up! He is 7.5 yrs old, 50 pounds and 48″ tall and is wearing a Large RSTV2.

Instead of carting around a large, heavy car seat or high back booster, you can use the RSTV to keep your forward-facing child safe while in the car (and soon, while on a plane too)!  This innovative product, as the name implies, is a specially designed vest that the child wears in the car in place of a car seat or booster.  Not only does it help to position the seat belt correctly, it also distributes the energy from a crash over large areas of the child’s body should you be involved in a collision.  For added stability and protection, there’s also the option of using their specially designed tether strap (mounted to a designated tether anchor).

G is 6.5 yrs old, 34 pounds and 44
“G” is 6.5 yrs old, 37 pounds and 44″ tall.
He’s wearing a size Small RSTV2
With the tether in place, G is unable to move out of the correct position.
With the tether in place, “G” is unable to move out of the correct position.

There are currently two versions of RSTV available.  We reviewed Version 2 (which, we believe, is the more versatile version offered at this time).  It currently comes in either blue or pink (but as of tomorrow, they’ll be available in several more colors in a new air mesh-covered fabric) and in 2 sizes: small and large.  Each size is adjustable with a large, velcro strap which is attached to the vest’s buckle that you see on the front of the vest.  The optional (but very useful) crotch strap can also help significantly with fit.  We installed our RSTV2 in a 2012 Honda Odyssey. It is important to note that when selecting a size, not only does one need to keep in mind their child’s weight, but also their seated height.  The height for the RSTV is calculated differently than “seated height” would be calculated for a traditional child safety seat.  Have the child sit on the floor, leaning up against the wall, but instead of measuring from the floor to their shoulder top, measure from the top of their thigh to the top of their shoulder. Once the correct size is determined, you’ll need to choose the version that is best for you.

As mentioned above, we like that the RSTV2 provides an optional tether.  Crash test analysis has proven that the use of a tether in a traditional forward-facing car seat can limit head excursion (the amount that the head moves in a crash) by as much as 6 inches.  The RSTV2’s tether also helps to distribute crash energy over yet another area so that the energy is focused away from the child.  We also love that RSTV2 can be used with a lap & shoulder belt OR a lap-only belt (as long as a tether anchor is available in that position).  If you have an older vehicle with a lap-only belt and no tether anchor, contact your dealership or Safety Belt Safe USA to inquire about a retrofit kit: https://www.facebook.com/SafetyBeltSafeUSA    (If a retrofitted anchor point is not an option, contact Safe Ride 4 Kids for other possible alternatives).  This version also offers an optional head/neck support for added comfort should the child desire.

Installation is quick and simple! Just have your child put the RSTV on, buckle them in (routing the belt through the guides), attach the tether and you're ready to go!
Installation is quick and simple! Just have your child put on the RSTV, buckle them in, route the belt through the metal guides (on the lap & shoulder), attach the tether (if applicable) and you’re ready to go!
Just chillin' in the RSTV....
Just chillin’ in the RSTV2….

The RSTV is a fantastic option for several situations including:

  • Travel
  • Taxi rides
  • Spare seat
  • Tight 3-across configurations
  • Bus rides (when a seat belt is available)
  • Carpooling

It’s lightweight and very compact.  It comes with its own travel bag and can easily fit into a backpack or carry-on bag.  Since there’s no rigid sides, it can even be rolled up to help save space! The RSTV is approved for children as young as 3-years-old & 30 pounds, but we wouldn’t necessarily recommend that it be used for a child so young.  We would recommend that if the RSTV will be used for a child under 5 that there be an adult seated in the back with them.  This is to ensure that they remain correctly positioned (sitting upright for the duration of the trip without slouching, leaning over or to the side, slumping down, etc…) and that they don’t play with the seat belt or do anything else that would compromise their safety in the event of a crash.  We are slightly less hesitant about a younger child using it on occasion (assuming that it fits them correctly and provides a safe belt fit) when the tether can be utilized since it does often help to limit the possibility of the child falling out of position.  It is most ideal for a slightly older, more mature child.  The Large RSTV will fit a child up to 80 pounds.

Proper fit of the seat belt thanks to the RSTV!
Proper fit of the seat belt thanks to the RSTV!  The lap belt is across G’s lap, not his belly and the shoulder belt is centered on his shoulder.
M is 10.5 yrs old, 54 pounds and 51
“M” is 10.5 yrs old, 59 pounds and 53″ tall. She is wearing a Large RSTV, which is providing excellent belt fit.

Some interesting things to know:

  • The RSTV, like most child safety seats, will likely need replacing after a crash.  (Contact Safe Ride 4 Kids or Safe Traffic System, Inc for crash-specific information)
  • The RSTV can be recycled (contact Safe Traffic System, Inc for information)
  • The RSTV2 is FMVSS 213 Certified
  • They are approved for use with inflatable seat belts (with available replacement clips)
  • They have a 10 year use life
  • They can not currently be used in conjunction with a booster seat, (however, they are developing a compatible booster seat, which will remain optional.  It’s expected to be released later this year.)
  • Safe Ride 4 Kids offers a low-price guarantee
  • Safe Ride 4 Kids offers a Trade-Up program for when your child outgrows their size Small RSTV

If you’d like more information on the Ride Safer Travel Vest, be sure to check out http://saferide4kids.com/ or http://safetrafficsystem.com/ver4/  In addition to more information, they also have links to some great videos!  You can purchase one right here.
*Safe Ride 4 Kids provided us with a Ride Safer Travel Vest to for the purpose of writing a review.  That was our only compensation.

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How *NOT* to Clean Your Car Seat

Posted on by SuperCarSeatGeek

Kids can be pretty gross!  There are times when being a parent feels like you’re living in a frat house.–Your roommates wake you up at all hours of the night, often by screaming; they lack the ability to make sound decisions and they barf in the most inconvenient places you can imagine, often without any warning at all.  It’s no wonder with all the puke (and let’s not forget poop!) that you often feel as though a hazmat suit would be real handy to have around.  But instead, we’re lucky if we have a pair of dish gloves handy.

As luck would have it, sometimes the inconvenient place where something explodes is in their car seat.  GROSS!  That’s obviously something that’s gotta be cleaned up!

So quick!  What do you do?!   Your inner-Clean Freak is screaming for you to kill all the germs!  Sanitize the seat!  Make it sparkly clean again!  But with what?

Bleach on seat
Stain Remover?! Bleach? NO!!!
Good ol' reliable Baking Soda paste?! NO!!!
Good ol’ reliable Baking Soda paste?!
NO!!!
Oooh! Vinegar! That's gentle, right? NO!!!
Oooh! Vinegar! That’s gentle, right?
NO!!!
Flame torch?! What?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!
Flame torch?
What?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!

No.  And in case we weren’t clear–N-O.  No!  You may not use ANY of these methods to clean the harness of your car seat.  They may work wonders on your counter tops, laundry or garage, but this is a life-saving device we’re talking about here!  It needs to be treated with care!  Why, you ask?  Because all of these things can cause irreparable damage to your harness (the same goes for your seat belts, by the way!).

No bueno
No bueno

Car seat harness webbing and seat belts are typically made out of nylon or polyester.  These materials aren’t as indestructible as you might think.  All of these products (along with tea tree oil and other essential oils, harsh soaps or detergents, Lysol,  Fabreeze, the washing machine, garden hose, steam cleaner, pressure washer and many other products) can cause warping and/or deterioration of the webbing and/or overall integrity of the car seat.  The damage can be so bad (even though it will likely not be visible) that the car seat could fail to protect your child in a crash.

Now before your inner-Clean Freak totally loses it, take a deep breath.  There ARE safe and effective ways to clean a car seat.

Yes, folks. It's just that simple. Baby wipes &/or a small amount mild dish soap on a damp (not soaking wet!) sponge or washcloth are safe to use on a harness or seat belt.
Yes, folks. It’s just that simple.
Baby wipes &/or a small amount mild soap on a damp (not soaking wet!) sponge or washcloth are safe to use on a harness, car seat shell or seat belt.
A small amount of mild soap on a damp sponge/washcloth is approved by most manufacturers.
A small amount of mild soap (such as original blue Dawn or baby shampoo) on a damp sponge/washcloth is approved by most manufacturers.
Baby wipes are also safe to use according to most manufacturers. (We find that H*ggies or P*ampers usually work well.)
Baby wipes are also safe to use according to most manufacturers. (We find that Huggies or Pampers usually work well.)

And of course, there’s always Mother Nature’s incredibly safe and effective bacteria-killer…

The sun! Yes! The sun. Seriously. Try it.
The sun!
Yes! The sun. Seriously. Try it.

Now what if you’ve already soaked your harness in bleach or ran it through the washing machine?  Well, we’d advise you to stop using the seat immediately and contact your car seat’s manufacturer.  They may be able to send you a replacement harness.  Unfortunately, not all harnesses are replaceable, so we regret to inform you that these are mistakes which may end up costing you a new seat.  (Incidentally, this is another reason why we strongly discourage people from using a rented, borrowed or used car seat.)

Should you need a new seat and you think you’ve come up with the brilliant solution of preventing messes and stains before they even happen by using a stain-preventing spray such as Scotchguard…

You guessed it. NO!!! These are highly flammable and corrosive. You don't want it anywhere near your car seat.
You guessed it. NO!!!
These are highly flammable and corrosive. You don’t want them anywhere near your car seat.

Above all else, we can’t stress this enough.–Check your manual!  If you lost it or tossed it, download a new one or contact the manufacturer and ask for specific cleaning instructions!  A good rule-of-thumb though, is that if it’s not something that you’d clean your own child’s face with, you probably shouldn’t be cleaning their car seat with it either.

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Precious Cargo: a Guest Post by Lehigh Valley Find & Go Seek 12/27/13

Posted on by SuperCarSeatGeek

Precious Cargo

What could be more important than ensuring that your children are as safe as possible when driving around town?

I have followed Super Car Sear Geek on Facebook for a while watching for tips, deals on car seats and interesting facts about car seat safety.  It became clear very quickly that Abbie (aka Super Car Sear Geek) knows her stuff and is truly passionate about what she does. Her Lehigh Valley Car Seat service offers FREE car seat checks to parents and caregivers in the region and has invaluable advice for families through her courses, checks and other available services. Recently partnering up with fellow CPST Erica McCabe the service has now expanded to provide car seat checks in the Pocono region also!

Personally, I thought I knew everything I needed to know (I bet you do too).  Abbie can teach even a seasoned parent some new tricks for keeping safe while driving ( I promise!).  Attending a class and scheduling a car seat check probably are not high on your to do list, they weren’t high on mine either.  Keep reading and see why you might want to re-evaluate that to-do list, it will be worth your while!  I cannot say enough how much this class and car seat check boosted my confidence in my ability to secure my children in our vehicles.  It say sound “geeky” but the first time I drove with them in the back seat I thought to my self “I KNOW they are as safe as they can be” and I actually felt better and safer while driving them around.

Car Seat Class

I recently attended her “Crash Course: Car Seat Safety for Caregivers” at The Growing Place (www.thegrowingplacepa.com) in Emmaus. Abbie presented her course in an interactive, engaging way, by asking questions quizzing us on our past knowledge and by letting us be the inspectors of the seats shown above.  She used videos that showed the severe impact that children endure during crashes.  These videos showed in real time how improperly restrained children sustain impact during a crash.

One of the most important items discussed which is extremely relevant during the cold winter months, is the fact that children are NOT to wear bulky winter coats while restrained in a car seat or boosters!  Abbie had creative suggestions for how to keep kids warm and safe during the chilly winter months.  This class is highly recommended to parents-to-be, current parents, child care providers, and grandparents and would make a great gift!

The Growing Place

  I attended my course at The Growing Place (http://thegrowingplacepa.com/) in Emmaus. This local business offers a variety of services to parents, parents-to-be and caregivers.  Pre-natal massage, breastfeeding classes, birthing classes, doula services, car seat safety, baby sign language and more! This unique center hosts a variety of services that support families and mothers/mothers to be.  They also host a free mom’s group for mothers and their children the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.  Their home-like setting is comfortable and welcoming and is tucked just off of Main St. in Emmaus making it quite convenient. Stop in to see their location and meet their friendly staff or drop in to their mom’s group and meet some new friends and playmates.

 Checking the Seats

Abbie and I met to check our current seats for proper installation and fit.  Her evaluation was so thorough, I was very impressed. She checked each child’s weight and height and evaluated how they were sitting in their current seats.  She determined our older child was near to growing out of her seat, which hadn’t occurred to me yet!  There are factors that go into determining a fit that Abbie knew and I did not. Her check was much more comprehensive than the check we received from the local police station and The Personalized Quick Reference Guide seat she left us with is a great reference tool to follow along with and monitor for when our children are ready for another switch.

Car Seat Concierge

When purchasing car seats for our children the first 2 times we focused mainly on price, height and weight, looking for something that seemed to last a while and would meet our child’s needs.  If you ever been to the car seat section at Buy Buy Baby or Babies R Us, you understand the veritable jungle that one encounters when shopping for a car seat, its a nightmare, how could you possibly pick the perfect seat at the best price to last a long as possible?!?! Abbie helps with this too, her car seat concierge service evaluates every variable that goes in to picking a seat and guides you to choose the best seat for your budget, child and car.

  • vehicle make/model
  • multiple vehicle usage
  • child’s height/weight/age
  • rear facing or forward facing variables
  • price point/affordability

Her extensive experience with different seats, vehicles models and safety regulations will guide you in your purchase.  This service was AMAZING! She guided us in our purchase, helped find a great deal on the seat we needed after noticing that we were about to outgrow the current seat being used. She evaluated our needs for a seat and  made recommendations based our our children’s specific needs.  I would never have been able to navigate the 1,000’s of available seats with such ease had it not been for Abbie’s advice. Our daughter was so excited by her new seat when it arrived, we regretted not wrapping it up for Christmas!

I highly recommend this service to anyone who is looking for a new seat for their child, it is 100% worth the cost, especially in that Abbie certainly knows where to find a great deal on seats, so your cost could easily be cancelled out by the savings you get on a great deal.

 

Contact 
Interested in scheduling a free car set check? You can contact Abbie by phone or e-mail or through her facebook page. Like her page on facebook to follow along for great tips and tricks!

Abbie Patterson
https://www.facebook.com/SuperCarSeatGeek 
(484) 544-3664
abbieCPST@gmail.com

Want to find a class to attend?  Keep an eye on

www.facebook.com/SuperCarSeatGeek

www.thegrowingplacepa.com

http://www.jujumonkey.com/

What people are saying … See reviews and raves about Abbie’s services here: http://lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net/listing/super-car-seat-geek-/healthy-families

 

Thanks for visiting and please be sure to stop byhttp://lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net for more Lehigh Valley family resources, activities and fun for kids!

(The original blog post can be found at: http://lehighvalleyfindandgoseek.blogspot.com/2013/12/precious-cargo.html )

 

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Cozywoggle Jacket Review 11/1/2013

Posted on by SuperCarSeatGeek

It’s November and it’s officially getting cold in many parts of our country!  If you’re like most parents, you’ve been starting to look around for a nice, thick winter jacket to keep your child toasty warm during the cold winter months ahead.

 

But did you know that most winter jackets are extremely dangerous to wear in the car?  If you’ve ever seen the infomercials for those space-saving bags, you can easily visualize what happens to a traditional winter jacket when force is applied to it – it compresses.  This leads to dangerous slack in their harness or seat belt during a crash, which could lead to injury or even ejection from their seat and/or from the the vehicle itself!

 

So what’s a parent to do?  Well, there are several safe options:

  • A single-layer, form fitting, waist-length fleece jacket is safe to wear in the car since it’s already pre-compressed.  A second, more traditional jacket can be purchased for your child to wear when playing in the snow.
  • You could remove your child’s thick winter jacket and put it on them backwards after strapping them in, but this can be time consuming and frustrating –  let’s face it, when it’s freezing outside, we all want to get things done as quickly as we can!
  • A Car Seat Poncho is a safe & popular product for parents with small children, but since ponchos are open on the sides, it’s not very conducive to playing in the snow and can be a bit drafty on some of those blustery winter days.

Recently, I came across a new product called the Cozy Woggle jacket and it really caught my eye!  It looked like it might be a great solution for a lot of families so I was thrilled to get my hands on one a few days ago.

 

Image The back of the jacket simply "flops" over the top of the car seat and the front of the jacket keeps your child nice & warm.
The back of the jacket simply “flops” over the top of the car seat and the front of the jacket keeps your child nice & warm.

The Cozy Woggle looks just like a traditional winter jacket, BUT the sides of it actually *unzip* to make it car seat friendly!  Your child will just walk out to the car with the jacket intact and climb into their seat.  You’ll unzip the sides of the jacket and they’ll simply pull their arms out of the elastic wrist bands.  The back of the jacket easily flips up and over the back of their car seat.  All you’ll do at that point, is reach under the front of the jacket and buckle your child into their seat.  The front of the jacket will cover your child’s torso & lap to keep them nice and toasty.  If they get too warm during the car ride, it can easily & quickly be removed and set aside until you reach your destination.  Once you arrive, the child simply puts his or her arms back through the wrist cuffs.  You quickly zip each side back down & you’re off!

Cozywoggle front view
Should your child get too warm, the jacket is easily removed since there’s nothing between the child and harness.

 

(You can view one of their videos here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=En5PrGde90A )

 

The jacket is constructed from a heavy duty wind/water resistant polyester shell, a cushy polyester fiber-filled body & a soft fleece lining.   The hood is removable to reduce possible bulk and/or for those who prefer to wear a hat.  Since I just got the jacket last week, I cannot attest to its long-term durability.  I don’t know that I’d expect it to be on par with something from L.L. Bean, but I have no immediate concerns at all.

 

The Cozy Woggle comes in a selection of popular colors, including navy blue, red, dark purple and pink.  It comes in a nice variety of sizes too (12 mos to size 6)!  I was especially thrilled to see it offered in some bigger sizes (note: the sizes 5 & 6 do not have the penguins embroidered on them.  Instead, the company name appears).

 

Even though my 6-year-old son wears a size 5 top, I requested his jacket in a size 6 to leave room for extra layers (for playing in the snow) since I was unsure how the sizing ran.  The jacket is definitely big on him, but that did not seem to be a hindrance in the car seats that he tried the jacket out in (a Britax Marathon70 and a Britax Frontier; both forward-facing).  He said that the jacket is warm, soft and comfortable and wasn’t at all bothered by it in the car seats.

cozywoggle under-view
My favorite thing about the coat!–Absolutely nothing between the child and the harness!

The Cozy Woggle currently retails for $74.99 (plus S&H) but they have very generously offered a discount especially for Super Car Seat Geek fans THROUGH THE END OF NOVEMBER 2013!  Simply use the promotion code “CARSEATGEEK” when ordering athttp://www.CozyWoggle.com and you’ll instantly save $15!

 

As a mother & Child Passenger Safety Technician, safety in the car is paramount.  I understand how dangerous a winter jacket can be when worn in the car.  I feel confident in the safety of this product and I feel comfortable recommending the Cozy Woggle to other parents as one more convenient & effective way of keeping their child(ren) safe & warm in the car!

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