Guidelines for Child Passenger Safety

October 04, 2010 (Press-News.org) Guidelines for Child Passenger Safety

National Child Passenger Safety Week ended September 25. This week of awareness is an excellent reminder for parents to become informed on what they can do to ensure their children's safety as passengers in motor vehicles at all times.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently tested 23 new booster seat models for their fit and ability to protect children from serious injury in a crash. This year's models were found to be better at safely restraining a child than last year's models. The study also found that boosters with high backs allowed shoulder belts to fit better than those models with no backs.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in children. Using child seats reduces the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for children between one and four years of age. In 2008, child seats saved 244 children aged four or younger.

A study by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that children age 4 to 8 who use booster seats are 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash than using seat belts alone.

When buying a child seat, make sure you are buying a tested product built for your child's age group. Child seats are often used incorrectly so read the instructions carefully. A study by the CDC on 3,500 car or booster seats found 72 percent were misused and could increase a child's chances of injury in a crash. The lap belt should rest over the child's upper thighs and the shoulder belt should lay in the middle of the shoulder.

Car seats and boosters are made for an age group. Your child will need different seats as they grow. Rear-facing car seats should be placed in the back seat for infants until they turn one year old or become 20 pounds. Then a toddler can use a forward-facing car seat placed in the back seat until they become four years old or roughly 40 pounds. Children aged four to eight should use a booster in the back seat.

When a child is about four feet nine inches tall, an adult seat belt should fit properly and a booster seat is no longer necessary. However, children under age 13 should always sit in the back seat and away from airbags. Airbags are made for adults and can cause injuries to children if deployed directly in front of them.

Article provided by Miller Law Inc.
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