Lightweight objects can become deadly missiles in a crash, where an object or person will weigh their weight MULTIPLIED by the speed of the crash! For example, a 5 pound DVD player will weigh 150 pounds in a 30 mph crash (5 x 30 = 150). Therefore, it is important to make sure that toys and other objects surrounding the child are soft and lightweight.
Many parents attach toys to the handle of the infant car seat. Before doing this, make sure your car seat manufacturer allows this AND the toy passes the ouch test (see below). Never attach a toy to the straps of the child safety seat!
Not sure if a toy is safe? Do the Ouch Test. Hit yourself in the head with the toy or object. If you have to say ouch, it will hurt your child in a crash.
Have you found a toy that is sold for the car seat but which fails the Ouch Test? Wonder how products like this can make it to the store shelves despite posing a danger to your child? While there are extremely strict standards including crash testing that child safety seats must pass, there are NO standards or crash testing for products sold to be used with a child safety seat (but that don’t come with the safety seat.) Buyer Beware!!
Some of the toys & games in the slideshow above are more appropriate for a plane than a car as they don’t pass the ouch test – but none of them are exceptionally heavy and none have sharp edges. All likely weigh less than a sippy cup filled with water.