By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — This week is Child Passenger Safety Week.
"It's really just an opportunity for us to talk with families about why correct use of child restraints and seatbelts is so important and how parents and caregivers can access different resources across the state to be confident that their children are riding as safely as possible," said Cherie Sage with Safe Kids Kansas.
You don't have to spend for the highest end car seat to be safe.
"As long as it meets the federal motor vehicle safety standards, you can rest assured that that car seat is safe," Sage said. "It doesn't matter whether you're getting a car seat that is $65 or $300. Both of those should keep your child safe."
You do need to know the history of the car seat if you're going to buy used or get a hand-me-down.
"If a car seat has already been even in a minor crash, maybe visually it looks just fine, the fact is that car seat is designed to work perfectly once," Sage said. "Any other stress that might happen, it might not even be visual, but it might not perform the next time you're in a crash."
If you are in a crash with a car seat in the car, even if no one is in it, get rid of it and get a new one.