A new study published in the journal Pediatrics warns parents that infant car seats need to remain in cars in order to prevent injuries to babies. Almost 9,000 infants go to the emergency room every year for car seat-related injuries that happen outside the car.
Most of the reported injuries occurred when babies fell out of their car seat, or were in the seat when it fell off a table, counter or shopping cart.
Since child safety seats are designed and intended for use in motor vehicles to prevent injury in the event of a crash, that's all they should be used for, and parents should move babies to a crib, play pen, or carrier, from the car.
However, to the extent a parent feels they must keep a baby in a car seat after removal from the car, it's critical to make sure the child remains strapped in. And leave the car seat with the baby on the floor.
