JAY — June Turcotte, a child passenger safety technician, gave parents information Tuesday to help them keep their children safe while traveling in a vehicle.

She advised them to always check the car seat instruction manual and the vehicle manual before installing a car seat. She recommended they always check the expiration date and height and weight limits on the seat. The weight includes the weight of the child and the seat, she said.

The seat harnesses should never be put in a washer or dryer, Turcotte said. The harnesses are flame retardant and being in the washer and dryer would cause them to lose the flame retardant factor. The harnesses would also get soft and twist easily.

The harness can be washed by hand while attached to the seat. The fabric children sit on can be washed regularly.

Maine’s Child Passenger Safety law is one of the strongest in the country, according to a pamphlet Turcotte passed out.

The law requires that:

* Children who weigh less than 40 pounds must ride properly secured in a child safety seat:

* Children who weigh between 40 and 79 pounds and who are less than 8 years old, must ride properly secured in a federally approved child restraint system;

* Children who are taller than 4-feet, 9 inches and who are no longer using a child restraint system, must be properly secured with a seat belt;

* Children under 12 years old and who weigh less than 100 pounds must be properly secured in the back seat of the vehicle, if possible.

There are three new categories of car seats: rear-facing, forward-facing and booster seats, Turcotte said.

The pamphlet also had the newest recommendations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for children including:

* Birth to 12 months — Children should always ride in a rear-facing seat. There are different types of rear-facing seats. Infant-only seats can only be used facing the rear of the vehicle. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position. It allows for children to be kept in a rear-facing position for a longer period of time.

* 1 to 3 years — Children should be kept rear-facing as long as possible. It is the best way to keep the child safe. A child should remain in a rear-facing seat until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, the child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with harness.

* 4 to 7 years old — Keep a child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the seat’s manufacturer. Once the child outgrows the forward facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to have them in a booster seat but still in the back seat.

* 8 to 12 years old — Children should be kept in a booster seat until the child is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. A child should still ride in the back seat because it is safer.

Websites to assist parents on child safety car seats include: www.maine.gov/dps/bhs/child-passenger-safety; www.nhtsa.gov, www.safekids.org. On the latter two sites, type “child safety car seats” in the search box to get the information.

Turcotte can be reached at 795-2695 at the Central Maine Medical Center Trauma Program in Lewiston.

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