For parents navigating the complexities of child car seats, ensuring correct installation can be a significant source of stress. It’s a critical aspect of vehicle safety, yet many parents find themselves overwhelmed by the process. While most parents believe they’ve installed their child’s car seat correctly, a concerning number are unaware of the proper guidelines.
Research highlights a significant gap between perceived and actual car seat safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and National Transportation Safety Board have reported that while a vast majority of parents (96%) are confident in their car seat installation skills, studies from NHTSA reveal that nearly half of all child car seats are installed incorrectly. This discrepancy underscores the urgent need for accessible and reliable resources to guide parents in this crucial task, especially when it comes to ensuring the safety of children in a Toyota Car.
This pressing need for clarity and support inspired Toyota to develop the innovative Toyota for Families app. This first-of-its-kind digital tool is designed to provide step-by-step guidance for car seat installation, reflecting Toyota’s deep commitment to child passenger safety, from vehicle design to proactive safety education.
The Widespread Challenge of Car Seat Installation
Jennifer Pelky, a Toyota engineer and mother, understands firsthand the challenges parents face with car seat safety. Her personal experience ignited her passion for finding solutions.
“When I first had my child and I went to choose a car seat, I was confronted with a huge wall of options and honestly, I didn’t know where to begin,” Pelky recalls. “Even after selecting a car seat, I was uncertain about how to verify if I had installed it correctly.”
The statistics are compelling: when used correctly, car seats can dramatically reduce the risk of injury in a car crash. They can decrease injuries by more than 70%, and booster seats further reduce injury risk by 45%, according to the CDC. Given that vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children in America, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), providing parents with accurate and easily understandable information is not just helpful—it’s life-saving.
Toyota Steps Up to Provide a Solution for Car Owners
Pelky’s initial struggles transformed into a mission. She became a certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) to help other families navigate the complexities of car seat installation.
“Being a safety engineer myself, I realized that if I was struggling with this, many other people must be too,” Pelky explained. This realization spurred her to act.
Pelky collaborated with a dedicated team of Toyota employees, including fellow moms, dads, and safety experts like Lindsay Babian, Janelle Pharris, Ryan Johnson, and Suhail Mirza. Together, leveraging both their personal and professional experiences, they developed Toyota for Families. This digital toolkit offers clear car seat installation instructions and video guides, readily accessible to parents and caregivers.
The Toyota for Families app addresses the nuanced aspects of car seat installation and originated from a casual conversation between Pelky and Babian. Now available through the Toyota app (for both iOS and Android) and ToyotaOwners.com, it empowers parents and caregivers with the necessary guidance to properly secure their children during every journey in their Toyota car.
Babian emphasized the app’s value, stating, “When Jennifer brought this idea to me, I immediately recognized the need for a solution. Now, parents, grandparents, and all caregivers who find car seat installation challenging have a tool to help them succeed.”
Accessible Tools for Enhanced Toyota Car Safety
Toyota’s commitment extends beyond just the app. Providing parents with resources to ensure their children’s safety while traveling in their Toyota car is a top priority.
In 2004, Toyota partnered with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to launch Buckle Up for Life, a nationwide program that collaborates with local organizations to educate parents and caregivers on the correct use of car seats and booster seats.
Pelky highlights the common feeling of being overwhelmed by the sheer variety of car seats and vehicle seat configurations. “It can feel like a lot to manage with all the different combinations,” she says. “But the safety risks are real if we don’t get it right.”
The individuals behind these initiatives and tools are part of a larger community within Toyota, all striving to create innovative solutions and improve products with a focus on mobility for everyone, with safety always at the forefront in every Toyota car.
Practical Car Seat Safety Tips for Toyota Car Owners
Here are essential tips to keep in mind for child passenger safety in your Toyota car:
- Make Buckling Up a Habit: Instill the importance of buckling up from a young age, making it an automatic part of every car ride for your child.
- Use a Car Seat Every Time: Ensure your child is in a car seat for every single journey, no matter how short, in your Toyota car.
- Accidents Can Happen Even at Low Speeds: Over 80% of crashes occur at speeds under 40 mph. Deaths have been recorded at speeds as low as 12 mph – about the speed you might drive in a parking lot.
- Most Crashes Happen Close to Home: Nearly 75% of all car crashes happen within a few miles of home, emphasizing the need for constant vigilance, even on familiar routes in your Toyota car.
- Never Unbuckle While Moving: Never allow a child to be unbuckled while the vehicle is in motion. If a break is needed, pull over to a safe location first.
- Never Leave a Child Unattended: Always supervise children in and around vehicles. Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, especially in a Toyota car parked in the sun.
- Vehicles Are Not Play Areas: Teach children that a vehicle is not a place to play and should only be used for travel.
By providing resources like the Toyota for Families app and supporting programs like Buckle Up for Life, Toyota demonstrates a comprehensive commitment to ensuring the safety of families on the road. Prioritizing child passenger safety is integral to Toyota’s mission, helping to protect what matters most in every Toyota car.
Want to learn more?
How to Install a Child Car Seat in My Toyota: There’s an App for That!
Mothers of Innovation: The Women Behind Toyota’s Child Car Seat App
Toyota for Families
Buckle Up for Life
