It is so bleeping hard to install car seats. Figuring out how to squeeze that hulking contraption into your car, then weave the seat belt through the proper holes, then loosen and tighten the straps ... it's enough to send any parent into a road rage even before they even stick their key in the ignition. That's why moms and dads will have a chuckle watching this video -- a public service announcement by the Toyota-sponsored safety campaign Buckle Up for Life, which portrays parent after parent struggling to install car seats, with hilarious results.
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Honestly now: What parent can't relate to this?! I, for one, can never remember if the seat belt goes over the chair or gets threaded through the back. And loosening and tightening the straps that should keep my daughter snug in her seat? A total mystery. My husband's thrown our car seat once or twice out of sheer frustration. I've tried to figure it out, given up, and started driving, praying I wouldn't crash.
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That's the whole unfunny point of this campaign: 75 percent of car seats aren't properly installed, and car accidents are the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 13. To address this problem in anticipation of Child Passenger Safety Week (September 14 to 20), Buckle Up for Life offers resources to help parents install a car seat right and travel safely.
Why are car seats so hard to install? Who knows. But let's face it ... if you're having a hard time, you're not alone.
What's the craziest thing you've done while trying to install your car seat?
Image © Patrik Giardino/Corbis