Child Safety Seats

The Keller Police Department is proud to be a part of the Inter-Agency Child Safety Seat Task Force.  In conjunction with the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and several other North Texas Police agencies, the Task Force conducts child safety seat checks at various locations throughout the Metroplex and north Texas.  For information regarding future Task Force events contact Officer Bobby Cure at bcure@kellerpd.com  

For other safety seat issues, please contact Officers Bobby Cure (817) 743-4602.    Or by email at:

    bcure@kellerpd.com 

Just The Facts On Child Safety Seats

Do children really need to be buckled up around town and on short trips?

Yes. Believe it or not, it's the short trips at low speeds that lead to the greatest number of crashes. About 75 percent of all crashes occur within 25 miles of home. In addition, about 40 percent of all fatal crashes occur on roads where the posted speed limit is 45 miles per hour or less. Low speed crashes or even a panic stop can cause serious injuries.

Isn't it safer for me to hold my child in my arms than use a safety seat?

No. For a child traveling in a motor vehicle, the most dangerous place to be held is in an adult's arms. This is often called the "child crusher position". In a crash of approximately 30 miles per hour, a ten pound infant will be ripped from a belted adult's arms with a force of almost 200 pounds. If the adult is not wearing a safety restraint, the child is likely to be crushed between the adult's body and the windshield, dashboard, or back of the front seat.

No. The best place for a child safety seat is in the back seat. Never use a rear-facing infant safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with an air bag on the passenger side. Remember too, that children who are standing, kneeling, sitting on the edge of the passenger seat, or even sitting correctly in the seat (but unrestrained) in vehicles equipped with a passenger side air bag could be at risk of injury from an inflating air bag. Consult your owner's manual about the correct way to install child safety seats in your vehicle.

My child has "special needs", so conventional child safety seats don't work.

There are child seats on the market that are designed especially for children with special needs, such as prematurely, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, respiratory problems, various types of casting, and other positioning challenges. The National Easter Seal Society developed a program, "Kids Are Riding Safe/Special Kids Are Riding Safe" (KARS/Special KARS), through a grant from NHTSA. It provides hospitals with educational materials, curriculum and structure to ensure that every infant or young child is riding safely. For more information about the KARS/Special KARS program, contact the National Easter Seal Society at (312) 726-6201.

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THREE TYPES OF CHILD SAFETY SEATS

	Infant Safety Seats:
	Birth to 20 lb. maximum. Some newer seats may have a higher weight capacity.  Check you safety seat owner's manual for weight limitations. It must face the rear of your car. Never use an infant seat in the front seat if there is a passenger side air bag.
	Convertible Safety Seats:
	Birth to 40 lb.  Must face rear until child is at least one year old and reaches 20 lbs. Face forward for 20 to 40 lb. (with safety seat harness)
	Booster Seats:
	For children over 40 lb. (with use of vehicle's seat belt and shoulder strap).