The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
recommends that parents keep a close watch when a child
is in an infant carrier seat because the seat can fall or turn
over and the child can be injured or killed. CPSC knows of
at least 5 deaths a year involving various types of carriers
used to hold infants. In addition, there were over 13,000
estimated injuries in a recent one-year period. (This does
not include incidents involving motor vehicles.) The deaths
happened when infants became entangled in restraining
straps, when carrier seats toppled over on soft surfaces
such as beds, or when unrestrained children fell from the
carrier seat to the floor. In almost all of the cases, infants
were left unattended in the infant carrier seat. Active infants
can move or tip carrier seats by their movements or by
pushing off on other objects with their feet.
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To prevent injuries and deaths with infant carrier seats, CPSC
recommends that parents:
- Choose a carrier with a wide, sturdy base for stability.
- Stay within arm's reach of the baby when the carrier
seat is on tables or counters. Infant seats can move
when the baby moves or bounces. Never place a carrier
seat on soft, plush surfaces that will make it unstable.
- Always use the safety belts.
- Do not use infant carriers as a substitute for infant car
seats.
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