Do you use the top tether on your child’s car seat?

As a responsible parent, you only drive with young kids safely buckled in age-appropriate car seats or restraints. But are you sure their car seats are safely buckled to your car? Researchers at Safe Kids Worldwide found that 64% of caregivers who attended car seat checkup events weren’t using their forward-facing car seat’s top tether to fully secure it to their vehicles. When asked why not, most said they didn’t know about the tether or didn’t know how to use it. 

Connecting the tether is critical. In a crash, it stops the top of the car seat from lurching forward. That protects your child’s head from hitting the back of the front seat or other occupants. It can make the difference between a serious head injury and no injury at all. 

The United States has required tethers to be part of car seats since 2001. Similarly, passenger cars manufactured since 2001 are required to have at least three tether anchors either in the back of the vehicle seat, the car’s rear shelf or in the ceiling. You can tell a tether anchor from a cargo hook because it will be stamped with an anchor symbol or labeled as a tether anchor. If you’re unsure which it is, check your owner’s manual. 
While locations for tether anchors vary between vehicles, the process for attaching the tether is the same. After you’ve fastened the car seat to the vehicle using the seat belt, hook the tether to the anchor and tighten the strap. If done correctly, the seat will feel very secure. If it still seems loose, continue to tighten the strap. 

PEMCO is a safety pioneer when it comes to preventing head and neck injuries in crashes. We were an early partner with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in improving head-restraint design in passenger cars. PEMCO also was the first insurance company in the nation to sponsor public service announcements urging people to set their head restraints no lower than their ears. 

For more on children’s car seats, see Pemco: New Car-Seat Rules For Babies & Kids In 2020 | PEMCO