Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in children aged 1 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of these children were unrestrained or improperly restrained. In the United States, the misuse rate for safety seats is over 80% and can be as high as 95% in some area.
Car Safety Rules for Children
Parents can take charge by getting the right safety seat and knowing using it properly. Here are some rules suggested by Car-Safety.org in the article "Car Seat Basics: Selection and Use" for parents to follow:
- Children 12 and under should always ride in the backseat! This alone can reduce the chances of death by 36%.
- Children should remain in a safety seat until they can be seated properly in a seatbelt. For most children this happens around 8 years old, or 4’9” tall. However, the proper seatbelt position is the most important factor.
- Do not place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat with an airbag.
- Keep infants rear-facing as long as possible. This can be up to 35 pounds in most convertible seats unless baby outgrows the seat height wise.
- All car seats must pass government safety standards so be sure to select the seat that best fits the baby, the type of vehicle and budget of the family.
- Be sure to read the owner’s manual to make sure safety seat is used properly.
- Harness should fit snugly on the child and the vehicle seatbelt should be locked properly.
- Have the car seat inspected by a certified technician for free (usually the local police station will do this, just call for appointment).
- Be careful about buying or taking a used safety seat, especially if it is over six years old. If the history is unknown, it could have been in a crash and may have unseen damage.
What to Look for in an Infant Car Seat
- A five-point harness is preferred.
- The strap slots on the harness should be at or slightly below the shoulder.
- A front adjuster makes the harness much easier to use.
- Infants should have an incline of 45 degrees.
- Built in level indicators make it easy to see what angle the seat is positioned.
- To improve safety even further, look for a rear facing tether, impact foam and a rebound bar.
- Consider an infant seat rather than a convertible model for newborns – they usually fit infants better.
- Many models are now complete travel systems offering the stroller and base units. Consider this when making a decision.
Booster Seat Requirements
- For use after 40 pounds and should always be worn with a lap and shoulder belt.
- Use until child reaches the weight limit for seat and until the seatbelt hits child in proper place.
- Shoulder belts should lay across the center of the should and chest, not on the neck.
- Lap belt should not be on the stomach, but should rest high on the thighs.
- If family vehicle has a headrest, backless model is fine.
- Use a high back model if your vehicle has low seat backs with no head rests. Some models may offer increased side impact protection.
- Look for a model with shoulder belt guides that allow the belt to move freely.
Remember when buying a car seat for a newborn, it may be best to go with an infant seat as newborns are more secure with this option. Look for a five-point harness and consider whether to invest in the travel system which includes the stroller and base units.
As kids grow they still need to be properly secured in the car, which means a booster seat should be used until they reach 4”9’ or until the seatbelt hits in the right area. Children under 12 should never sit up front if there is a passenger side airbag. If mom or dad is unsure about putting the seat in correctly, contact local police department as they usually offer car seat inspections.
References:
CarSafety.Org. "Car Seat Basics: Selection and Use" (accessed September 10, 2010).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "National Child Passenger Safety Week September 12–18, 2009" (accessed September 10, 2010).
Lisa Milordo - My name is Lisa Milordo and I have been a freelance writer for over ten years. I started out writing copy and headlines for a large direct ...
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