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12 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • November 2015 N ovember is child safety and prevention month. As much as parents and caregivers try to child proof and lock away harmful substances, there are still hidden dangers lurking in your car, home and medicine cabinet. Follow these helpful tips from local experts to avoid being a statistic: CAR SAFETY "Ideally children 2 and under should be rear facing, or until they have reached the maximum height or weight limit of a convertible seat. Once they are forward facing, they should remain in a five-point harness for as long as possible — until age 5 or even 6. The next step would be a high back booster seat and once they are tall enough a no-back booster is a great option," stated Meghan Floirendo, child passenger safety technician. In Virginia, children 7 and under are required to be in a child restraint. Visit www.safekids.org to determine whether or not your child should be in a safety seat or seat belt. Virginia is a proper use state, which means that legally, all children must be properly restrained. BY NIKKI DUCAS Preventative Measures KEEP KIDS BY NIKKI DUCAS KEEP KIDS KEEP KIDS KEEP KIDS KEEP KIDS KEEP KIDS SAFE "There is so much more that goes in to making sure kids are properly restrained. Every caregiver is encouraged to seek out a trained and certified child passenger safety technician to set up a free seat check!" said Floirendo.