Your Child and Safety Seats

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among children ages 2 to 14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, 2009). Many of these injuries and deaths could be avoided if adults would take the time to learn how to properly secure children in safety seats that are anchored to the car’s permanent seating. NHTSA reports that nearly 3 out of every 4 children in child safety seats are not properly secured or not restrained at all. However, when properly installed and used, safety seats reduce fatalities by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.

Safety Seat Recommendations

According to Safe Kids Worldwide (2009), a global network of organizations that strive to prevent childhood injury, children aged four to eight weighing between 40 lbs. and 80 lbs. should ride in booster seats restrained with lap and shoulder belts. A regular safety belt won't fully protect a child of this size in a crash.
The following types of car restraints should be used as your child grows:

• Infant Seats—A child should ride in an infant seat, placed in the back seat and facing the rear of the car, from birth until 20 lbs. or one year of age.
• Convertible Safety Seats—These seats can convert from rear-facing to forward-facing when a child reaches one year of age or 20 lbs. in weight. Convertible seats should be used in the back seat of a car until a child reaches age four or 40 lbs. in weight.
• Booster Seats—When a child has clearly outgrown a smaller, convertible seat, but is not yet large enough for the car’s safety belt system, a booster seat should be used in the back seat of a car along with the car’s shoulder and lap belt system.
• Safety Belts—When a child is large enough to properly “fit” an adult safety belt—usually over 80 lbs, at least 4’ 9” in height, and between 8 nd 12 years of age—he or she can ride without using the booster seat. A properly secured safety belt should fit snugly across the thighs, not over the stomach; over the shoulder, not across the neck and throat; and across the chest. A child’s legs should also be able to bend easily over the edge of the vehicle’s seat.

It is especially important for children to ride in the back seat of the car until they have grown to fit a seat belt. Front passenger air bags inflate at speeds up to 200 miles per hour, which could cause serious injury to both rear- and front-facing children. If a child is unbelted, too small for the lap and shoulder belt to fit properly, or incorrectly positioned in a safety seat, the child may be too close to the bag when it inflates, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

For Your Child’s Protection

No matter how much an older child may fight a safety seat, it is important to be sure he or she is ready for an adult safety belt before removing other restraints. When using the car’s safety belts, never tuck the shoulder belt behind a child’s arm or back, and use lap belts only as a last resort when more effective shoulder and lap belts are not available. Using the proper restraints in the proper way when traveling may help save your child’s life.
 

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