by Joyce Slaton posted in Products

Car seats are complicated, confusing, and hard to use -- they also save lives. But as you probably already know, experts estimate that up to 95 (!!) percent of car seats are installed or used incorrectly.
There are just so many things you can get wrong! Even if you choose the right seat for your child's size and developmental stage, installing the seat correctly is complex, harnessing the rider is tricky, and there are so many do's and don'ts that it's easy to make a mistake.
So in honor of Child Passenger Safety Week (September 17-23, 2017), Abbie Patterson, President of Car Seats for the Littles, debunks 3 pervasive car seat myths.

1. It?s fine to add aftermarket accessories to car seats As a car seat tech, I sometimes volunteer at free car seat checkup events, and few come in without something attached to it, or under it -- toys that clip on to the seat's handle, mats and covers underneath that are meant to protect the car's seat, dangling objects that would give a baby's eye a mighty wallop in the event of a crash, positioners that say they'll keep your child more comfortable in the seat or keep their head from dangling while you ride.
"It comes down to this: anything that did not come in the box with your child?s car seat or was not expressly approved by manufacturer hasn?t been tested with your car seat. So there?s no way to tell if it's safe," says Patterson.
So the infant cushions that came with your car seat" Go a...