Infant car safety seats are life savers when correctly used, reducing traffic-related fatalities by about 70%. But the seats are responsible for numerous problems and, rarely, deaths when inappropriately used away from cars. Moreover, car seat plus baby is heavy. Improper carrying can cause you, the carrier, needless aches and pains.

1. In the US, about 10,000 infants suffer car seat-related injuries away from cars. Most of the injuries occur in infants less than 4 months of age. Head injuries are most common, followed by broken arms and legs. Of the injuries, 85% are related to falls: 65% with the infant falling out of the car seat and 15% with seat and infant falling from elevated surfaces such as shopping carts, tables, and counters.

2. Car seats are unstable when standing alone. Sometimes they are accidentally tipped over by adults or older children. Older infants can wiggle sufficiently - even when properly strapped in - to topple the seat over. Some parents neglect to strap infants in when seats are not in cars. If young infants turn seats over onto couches they may land with their mouths on soft fabric and have difficulty breathing.

3. Never place seats atop washing machines and dryers. These locations are convenient while you do the laundry; the rhythmic noise tends to lull infants to sleep. However, the vibration of the machines can move the seats towards and over the edge.

4. The least dangerous place for seats is the floor or ground. When you must put the seat down, (to open the car door, for example), check the area for unfriendly animals and make sure the seat is visible to other drivers. Never place car seats on the hood or roof of the car.

5. Carrying car seats incorrectly can cause you pain. Don’t carry seats in the fold of your elbow; this may cause shoulder/neck pain or pain in your hand due to compression of the nerves in your elbow (nerves that lead to your hand). Also, carrying the seat in one hand places the seat at hip level, forcing you to bend your hip for balance and twisting your lower spine, causing lower back pain.

6. Carry seats in front of you at waist height and use both hands on the handle bar. Or carry the empty seat in one hand and the baby on your shoulder with the other hand. Or use a sling carrier. Plan ahead for the shortest distance to carry. Car seats that pop into strollers are an ideal solution.

7. Car seats and shopping carts are a hazardous mix. Shopping carts have their own safety issues, injuring thousands of infants each year. Placing car seats on top of shopping carts is fraught with danger. Some shopping carts have attachments for car seats. If you use such carts, make sure that you correctly buckle the seat into the cart. A safer method is to place the seat inside the shopping cart, if it fits. (However, this leaves little room for groceries.)

8. Ideally, infants should not sleep in car seats. They should sleep on their backs on firm mattresses, greatly reducing the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). But most infants sleep well in moving cars. Fortunately, cases of SIDS related to car seats have virtually disappeared. Present day seats prevent infants’ heads from flopping forward and compromising the infants’ airways. Transfer sleeping infants to a proper sleeping surface at your destination, even if doing so will wake them up.

9. Stay in touch with your car seat manufacturer. Make sure that your car seat is registered with them and that they can get in touch with you, especially if you move. Recalls of seats for safety reasons occur. Some manufacturers send out helpful safety tips and other useful information.

10. Installing car seats properly is complicated. Three out of four parents purchase less than optimal models or install seats incorrectly. Consider consulting professionals. To find a car seat inspection center near you, go to http://www.safercar.gov/cpsApp/cps/map/findfitting.htm?q. In most cases there is no charge for the inspection.