Child safety seats are effective tools that ensure infant, toddler and child safety during car rides.

However, they must be used correctly to provide the best protection. That is the message Capt. Theresa Milar with the Picayune Police Department shared with customers at a local retailer Thursday morning.

Milar is experienced in teaching parents how to properly use the safety devices; she has been sharing this message with the community for the past 15 years.

Proper installation will help keep children safe in the event of a car accident. Children can even be taught to buckle themselves in when they are old enough.

One of the tips Milar shared with attendees included using three small sections of pool noodles duct taped together into a triangle to position the seat to the correct angle if your vehicle’s rear seat has a steep incline. Another tip involved the use of robber cabinet shelf liners to prevent safety seats from shifting.

Infants should ride in a rear facing car seat until they reach 2-years-old and weigh at least 20 pounds, Milar said.

After that point children can be restrained in a front facing child safety seat. The exact type is determined by the child’s age, height and weight, Milar said.

Car safety seats should always be used in the vehicle’s rear seat, never the front seat. Cars with front passenger side airbags pose a safety hazard to children, even if they are in a child safety seat.

Pamphlets distributed that day state parents should take note of the type and model of car safety seat to ensure it will meet each child’s safety needs.

Mississippi state law mandates all children be restrained properly while riding in a car, Milar said.

Children should continue using some sort of child safety seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and weigh 65 pounds, Milar said.

Other tips included in the hand out include replacing child safety seats that are more than 6-years-old, registering safety seats with the manufacturer to receive recall notifications, and making sure the seat does not shift more than an inch in any direction after it is installed in the vehicle.

When a child moves on to a booster seat both the lap and shoulder belts should be used. Shoulder straps should not be moved to behind the child’s back or under their arm. Shoulder straps should fall over the child’s shoulder.

As always refer to and follow instructions provided with each child safety seat.

Parents who have questions about the proper use and installation of car safety seats can call at 601-798-6829.