Why Your Car Seat May be Breaking the Law

Why Your Car Seat May be Breaking the Law

Even if you're just driving down the street to a neighbor's home, buckling up is crucial

Car seats are essential when taking the kids for a ride in the car. Even if you're just driving down the street to a neighbor's home, buckling up is crucial. Accidents happen at the most unexpected of times and often when we're close to home.

You know the importance of using a car seat, but could your car seat actually be breaking the law?

You Stopped Using a Car Seat Too Early

In the state of California, children who are eight years of age or younger must be sitting in a proper safety seat. The age limit may vary from one state to another, but experts recommend keeping a child in a safety seat for as long as safely possible.

But it's important to make sure that you adhere to the weight and height limits of the seat you are using. Ignoring these limits may make riding in the car just as unsafe as not using a safety seat at all.

You're Not Using the Right Car Seat

The CDC offers guidance on what types of car seats to use depending on the age of the child.

Rear-Facing Car Seat

From birth up to the age of two, children should be using a rear-facing car seat. Infants and young children should be sitting and buckled in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the weight and height limits of the seat. This information should be listed in the owner's manual and possibly the product description.

Forward-Facing Car Seat

Children aged two to five should be using a forward-facing car seat. When children outgrow their previous seat, they need to move on to a forward-facing seat, but the seat should remain in the backseat.

The child should stay in this seat until he or she reaches the upper height or weight limit.

Booster Seat

Once a child reaches age five – or outgrows a forward-facing car seat – it's time to upgrade to a booster seat. The child should be buckled up in a belt positioning seat until the belt fits properly.

A seat belt fits properly when the lap belt sits across the thighs and not the stomach. The shoulder belt should sit across the chest and not the neck. Children should be kept buckled in the back seat for the best possible protection.

Seat Belt

Children can move out of a booster seat once a seat belt fits them properly. Again, the lap belt should lay across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt should lay across the chest.

All children should stay buckled up in the backseat until the age of 12. Airbags can kill young children sitting in the front seat.

What happens if your car seat doesn't meet state laws? You could be fined or penalized for using an inappropriate seat.

Fines vary, depending on the state. In California, those who are violating car seat laws face a $500 fine and will have a point added to their license. These fines are imposed on each child under the age of 16.

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15 Signs You Have Senioritis

Wondering if those last 3 months are realllyyy worth that degree

People always say, “College is the best 4 years of your life!” While college is a great time, it’s almost like having a baby and the baby is you. You get no sleep, you cry a lot, you depend on others to feed you, and you have no idea what you’re doing. So here are some telltale signs that you need a breather…or a 12-day nap.

1. People tell you how nice you look when you actually wear jeans instead of yoga pants.

2. You cancel your weekend plans just to catch up on all the sleep you’ve been missing during the week.

3. You say the words “I can’t wait to get out of here” at least once a day.

4. You have competitions to see whose dark circles under their eyes are the darkest.

5. Sleeping through the 20 alarms you set is a normal occurrence.

6.You calculate how many classes you can miss without failing before you even start on the homework assignments.

7. You constantly say, “I have so much to do!” and then proceed to binge watch Jane the Virgin on Netflix.

8. Apologizing to your teachers for forgetting to do your assignments has become part of your everyday routine.

9.You text people “are you going to class?” to see if you’re the only one who is slacking today.

10. People don’t recognize you when you actually wear makeup.

11.You wonder why you bought the book for class when you know you're not going to read it anyways.

12. You’re constantly running late…or as I like to call it, “making an entrance."

13. You forget how long it’s been since you showered.

14. You’re forced to do laundry because you ran out of all your yoga pants and t-shirts.

15.You start wondering if those last 3 months are realllyyy worth that degree...

Cover Image Credit: harrypotter.wikia.com

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How To: Prepare For Mid-Terms

It's the most stressful time of the year.

It's that time of the semester again. The tests are beginning to pile up, the homework is non stop, and you don't remember the last time you had a free second to yourself. Midterms are upon us once again. I have test after test after essay after project. The work seems never-ending. Here are tips on thriving, not just surviving.

1. Study

This one is first and obvious. if you want to do well you have to study. The best way to study in my opinion is to write things down. That is the easiest way to memorize key terms or just any simple facts that will be needed for a test.

2. Be organized

Have a planner, and write in it. This the only way I am ever sane during the school year. I look at my planner every day to see what I have to do for the day and weeks ahead. It is also nice to be organized as a whole. Keeping papers together in folders for each class and notes neat and organized will make studying for midterms even easier.

3. Do not procrastinate!

This is something I am definitely still working on. The best way to prevent procrastination when it comes to studying is to take it a little at a time. A week or so in advance of a test, starting studying. Maybe a couple key terms, or a chapter a day. Your memory will strengthen, and the night before review everything you have already covered. Instead of cramming it all in the day before, you will recall all the material quickly and accurately.

4. Sleep

Another thing that college students do not often make a priority. It seems that everyone focuses on drinking coffee and trying to stay up as late as humanly possible. It is not healthy, at all. Get some sleep. Even if you are studying up late at night to put as much information as possible into your head, it will affect your mood the morning after. If you wake up with a headache after getting little sleep, it might be hard to succeed on a test compared to a good night's sleep.

5. Take a break sometimes

After a long day of studying, a break can be needed. A simple 30 minute break can help refresh your mind to be prepared to study more. Personally I like to watch Netflix. Any shows like Friends or The Office really help me take a break and not think about school for 25 minutes. I also like food breaks. Eating is a great way to gain some energy while talking to friends, and not worrying about studying.

6. Don't forget to be positive!

While a lot of work all at once can cause stress, think on the bright side. With a negative attitude, the work will never get done, and the studying will never be as successful.

Cover Image Credit: User:K.lee

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