Ten Mistakes Made When Installing a Child Safety Seat in a School Bus

ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
School Bus Instructor Training Inservice
PETER J. GRANDOLFO
Chicago Public Schools

1. Seat Belt Not Securing Child Safety Seat Tightly
When properly secured, a child safety seat should not move from side-to-side or forward more than one inch, when the seat is grasped at the belt path. It should be clearly understood that when installing child safety seats in school buses, seat belt assemblies comply with FMVSS 209 and seat belt assembly anchorages (including the seats) comply with FMVSS 210.

2. Child Placed in the Forward-facing Position Too Soon
The American Academy of Pediatrics and NHTSA have both recommended that children remain rear facing in a child safety seat at least until they reach BOTH 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds. If the child fits properly in the seat and doesn’t exceed the weight limit for the child safety seat, they can remain in a rear facing position even longer.

3. Harness Straps Positioned in the Wrong Slots
When the child is rear facing, harness straps should be routed through the slots that are at or below the child’s shoulders. When forward facing, the straps should be routed through slots that are at or above the shoulders. For most convertible seats, the harness straps should be at the highest slots when forward facing, as these slots are reinforced. Check the owner’s manual for the child seat for specific instructions.

4. Improper Use of a Locking Clip with a Child Safety Seat on a School Bus
Since a locking clip is generally used when you have a seat belt system that is a lap and shoulder belt combination, with a free sliding latch plate, and at present, no school bus has this type of seat belt arrangement, a locking clip would not be used to help secure a child safety seat on a school bus. When using a locking clip to secure a child safety seat in a vehicle with a lap-shoulder seat belt system, the locking clip should be installed within one (1) inch of the seat belt buckle. It should never be used on the side of the child seat opposite from the buckle.

5. Retainer Clip Not Used Correctly
The retainer clip, which properly positions the shoulder harness straps used to secure a child in a safety seat, should be at the child’s armpit level. The straps should be properly threaded through the clip in the same manner on both sides of the clip.

6. Harness Straps on the Safety Seat Not Tight Enough
The harness straps are what will hold a child in position in the child safety seat when a crash occurs. These straps should be snug enough so that only one finger can be placed between the strap and the child’s collarbone. Avoid dressing the child in bulky clothing during cool or cold weather. Doing so may create a potentially dangerous gap between the harness straps and the child when secured. During cold winter months when a school bus may be cold inside, using a small blanket or warm protective covering OVER the harness straps is acceptable. There are several ways to check that harness straps are snug enough for a child. Place one finger under a harness strap and try to pull it away from the child’s torso, it should stay close to the child’s body; or try to put a “tuck” in one of the straps, you should not be able to pinch the strap to make a fold in it; or with the child facing forward in the safety seat, ask him/her to move forward, only the child’s head should move forward.

7. Improper Child Safety Seat for the Child
A child’s weight and height are the primary determinants when selecting the proper child restraint system. Every child safety seat has weight and height limits. Never exceed the limits set by the child safety seat manufacturer. If a child weighs more than the seat allows, you must move the child to a different seat or different type of child restraint system. Do not move a child too soon into a seat belt only (currently, most school buses do not have lap-shoulder belt only systems). Seat belts (lap-shoulder belt systems) are designed for adults, not six-year-old children. Keep the child in a booster seat with internal harness system as long as possible. A general rule of thumb is that a child will not fit properly into a seat belt (or lap/shoulder belt system) until they are at least 4’9” tall and weigh 80 pounds. A simple guide to follow IN A SCHOOL BUS would be: rear-facing, infant seat for a child under 20 to about 22 lbs and under one year of age; forward-facing in a convertible or toddler safety seat, between about 22 pounds and up to about 30 to 40 pounds (depending on the child safety seat); or for a child between 35 to 40 lbs when a convertible or toddler seat is too small, a forward-facing only booster seat WITH internal 5-point harness may be used. Remember – while a forward-facing booster seat may be used in a car for a child up to weight 80 pounds, this is only in a vehicle equipped with a lap-shoulder belt securement system – currently, not a school bus. Only in very special child securement systems do weight limits exceed 40 pounds. Read the safety seat owner’s manual for weight limits. Above 40 pounds, you should evaluate a child’s need for a safety vest or individual seat belt properly secured to a school bus seat. When using a safety vest on a school bus, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for use in a school bus. NEVER allow an unrestrained passenger to sit in the seat directly behind a seat used for a child secured in a safety vest. In fact, whenever possible, leave that seat directly behind a child secured in a safety vest unoccupied.

8. Using a Recalled or Unsafe Child Safety Seat
Many child safety seats have been recalled by the manufacturer, but not all recalls require the seat to be returned or destroyed. Many simply require a replacement part that can be obtained free of charge from the manufacturer. A copy of the current recall list is available at the NHTSA website (www.nhtsa.dot.gov). Most child safety seats have an expiration date on them. Avoid using a child safety seat beyond its expiration date. Never use a child safety seat that has been purchased from a resale shop or a garage sale, since the history of the child safety seat is unknown or the seat may be missing critical parts. Never use a child safety seat after it has been involved in a moderate to severe crash. In many situations the vehicle owner’s insurance company can replace the seat. This advice also applies to the vehicle seat belts in any seat occupied by a passenger in a crash.

9. Child Safety Seat is Incompatible with the Vehicle Seat (or Air Bag)
While school buses do not have air bags installed in any passenger seating position, if transporting a child in a non-school bus type vehicle with an air bag, NEVER place a rear-facing child safety seat in front of an air bag. Also, not every child safety seat will fit properly in every vehicle. Some seat belt systems and vehicle seat spacing designs make it very difficult if not impossible to install a child safety seat properly. Some child safety seat designs are not compatible with certain seating arrangements in a school bus. Ask to try a child safety seat in the vehicle before you purchase it. If someone wishes to give a child safety seat as a present (baby shower, etc.) it’s best to give a gift certificate rather than an actual child safety seat. There is no way to know if a child safety seat will fit in a school bus or other vehicle without actually trying it in that vehicle first.

10. “Nonstandard Objects” Used to Secure or Modify a Child Safety Seat
NEVER use bungee cords, tie down straps, wire, clamps, duct tape, etc. to secure a child safety seat. Do not bolt, drill, screw or otherwise modify or add anything to a child safety seat. Doing so could prove dangerous to vehicle occupants in a crash. A rolled towel or foam “pool noodle” can only be used under a rear-facing child safety seat to assist in the proper positioning of the seat at the required 45-degree angle. Nothing should be placed behind or under a forward facing child safety seat.

If you are unable to secure a child safety seat, or would like assistance in checking a child safety seat for recalls or proper installation, contact your local police or fire department, medical/health care facility, or local Pupil Transportation Director and ask for a “Child Safety Seat Technician”. If they don’t have someone that is properly trained to answer questions, especially questions related to proper installation in a school bus, call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-DASH 2 DOT, and they will help locate someone in your area.