Car seats are vital safety devices that reduce the risk of fatal injury by more than 70% for infants and by 54% for toddlers. Yet, 3 out of 4 child car seats are installed incorrectly.

The good news is that California parents and caretakers can receive a FREE car seat inspection from AAA and can book an appointment (allow 6-8 weeks) at the local AAA office.

Here are some additional car seat tips, and recall info that you may want to know about. If you’re shopping for a new car seat, the American Academy of Pediatrics has a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know.

NonToxicMunchkin has info on manufacturers who make car seats free of added flame retardants that are linked to cancer and other serious health problems. HealthyStuff.org is testing for chemical hazards in car seats, and has started with the Graco My Size 65 Convertible Car Seat.  For more background on why flame retardants are used in the manufacturing of car seats and other products, and an overview of California policy changes to remove them, visit SproutSanFrancisco’s thorough piece.

Finally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration demanded that Graco and Evenflo recall infant and toddler cars seats because of faulty buckles. The seats were manufactured between July 2010 and May 2013. You can check to see if your seats are included by going to www.GracoBuckleRecall.com or by calling 877.766.7470.

If you’re not driving, experts suggest you keep your infants and babies out of car seats to lessen their chemical exposure, prevent flat heads and enhance motor development. And, don’t forget to come to my Parent/Baby yoga class where we make sure that your babies get tummy time and opportunities to roll over, do the cobra and even fly high!