Broadcaster Press 7 April 9, 2019 www.broadcasteronline.com Spring Home Improvement and Car Care Child Passenger Protocols To Follow Parents and caregivers take various measures to safeguard their children around their homes. The same attention to safety also extends to when families leave the house. Rules in place concerning vehicular safety are designed to keep kids safe on the road. Car seats, boosters and seat belts provide protection for infants and children when used correctly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. The NHTSA’s General Estimates System states that, in 2018, 394 children age 5 or younger died in car crashes. However, in that same year, 328 were saved by using car seats. The right car seat can save lives, but parents, especially those expecting their first child, can easily become overwhelmed by the various types of seats on the market. Understanding the different seats, and when and how to use them, can help parents navigate their options. Choosing a car seat There are various types of car seats, and each may be appropriate depending on a child’s age and size. • Rear-facing: This is the best seat for young children, as it cradles the child to reduce stress to the neck and spinal cord. • Forward-facing: This has a harness and tether that limits child’s forward movement during a crash. It is typically used for children age 2 and older. • Booster: This is a seat that elevates and positions the child so that the vehicle’s seat belt fits properly over the child’s body. Seat belts are used when children outgrow boosters. They should lie across the upper thighs and be snug across the shoulder and chest. Each type of safety seat has subsets that further customize the fit and positioning for the child. When to use a car seat First and foremost, visit a governing agency website to determine the laws where you live in regard to car seats. Transport Canada indicates each Did You Know? It’s easy to underestimate the level of knowhow required to be an automotive mechanic, and just how essential the job is. There are an estimated 30,000 parts on the average car, and data from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers indicates around 74,705,000 cars were produced in 2018. Auto mechanics are in high demand. Although many high schools offer adequate training to prepare individuals for a job in automotive mechanics, most mechanics are now expected to have completed an associate degree or certificate program in automotive training to keep up with ever-evolving vehicle technology. Students can enroll in a vocational education program, receive a certificate and then go on to employee training. Upon completion of that training, students can become master mechanics. Training and schooling typically takes two years. Salary.com reports that the average automotive mechanic salary in the United States was $38,551 as of December 2018. province and territory may have its own age, height and weight restrictions. Consult the website for your province or territory for more information. The automotive agency AAA provides a state-by-state and territory/ province rundown of rules governing car seat use at https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/ tag/child-passenger-safety/. This can help residents learn which type of car seat is needed and how long to use it. For example, residents of New Jersey must keep children under age two who weigh less than 30 pounds in a rear-facing seat. Children under four who weigh less than 40 pounds must be in either a rearor forward-facing child passen- ger restraint system. Children younger than eight and under 57 inches must be in a forwardfacing child passenger restraint system or rear-seat booster seat. Booster seats are required until the child is age eight or weighs more than 80 pounds. Installing the seat Read the car seat instructions and refer to the vehicle’s owner’s 624-2731 200 E. Main, Vermillion Quality products, affordable prices! Call today, start tomorrow! 15% Discount on All Services MetroCreativeConnection Signs Your Soil Might Be Compacted Compacted soil can result from any number of activities, including walking on a lawn. When soil on a lawn is compacted, grass roots might not receive the water, oxygen and nutrients they need to grow in strong. The can lead to weak lawns that are vulnerable to various issues. However, homeowners need not avoid their lawns to prevent soil compaction. Rather, learning to recognize signs of soil compaction and paying special attention to heavily trafficked areas of the yard can help homeowners identify the problem early and address it before grass begins to suffer. Note that the following are some sign potential indicators of compacted soil. • Hard soil: Soil that is difficult, if not impossible, to penetrate with a shovel is likely compacted. Even healthy soil is sometimes resistant to penetration, but if homeowners put some muscle into their efforts to penetrate the soil and still can't do so, then the soil is compacted. • Standing water: Water standing on top of soil for a long time is doing so because the soil is likely so compacted that the water, which roots need to thrive, cannot get through. • Excessive water runoff: Runoff occurs when watering lawns. But if nearly all of the water intended for the lawn and the soil beneath it is seemingly being diverted away from the grass, then that means the water cannot get through to the soil or that so little is getting through that the lawn's health is in jeopardy. • Loss of vegetation or poor plant growth: Compacted soil prevents water, nutrients and oxygen from accessing the root zone. As a result, plants, including trees, are vulnerable to disease and even death. • Surface crust: Surface crust, which blocks oxygen and water from penetrating the soil and tends to inflict areas like footpaths and playgrounds due to heavy foot traffic, contributes to runoff and soil erosion. Compacted soil is relatively simple to fix. But when untreated, compacted soil can threaten lawns, plants and other vegetation. MetroCreativeConnection CALL MetroCreativeConnection BOB’S SINCLAIR SERVICE manual for proper installation. Seats for young children utilize low anchors that max out at certain weights for installation. Most forward-facing and booster seats rely on tethers to install. Child car seats save lives and help keep little ones protected on the road. TODAY! 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