Did you know that car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3-14?
It is National Child Seat Safety Week, and hopefully it will bring attention to keeping kids safe in vehicles and change that upsetting statistic from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Many parents are all over car seats for infants and toddlers, but things get harder as children get both older and bigger.
Children ages 4-8 should be in a booster seat. I know that many parents give up on the booster seat battle when they have a tall kid or one who is 7 or 8, but it’s worth the fight to keep them in one.
Why?
Because research shows that the use of belt-positioning booster seats lowers the risk of injury to children aged 4-8 years by 45 percent compared with the use of seat belts alone without a booster.
Kids ages should stay in a booster seat until the vehicle lap and shoulder belts of vehicle seat belts fit correctly, typically when your child reaches 4 feet 9 inches (57″) in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age.
Yup, I know that’s big. And yes, it is just three inches shorter than I am. But those three inches make a big difference in the way that seat belts fit our kids.
Here’s more info on booster seats from SafeKids.org.
And if you’re wondering if you’re using a booster seat properly or ready to transition one, here’s a video from SafeCar.gov, which has important information for parents and covers all ages of kids with the tag line “From Car Seats to Car Keys: Keeping Kids safe.”
Also, even when they outgrow the booster seat, keep kids in the back seat.
Why?
Because children in the front seat are 40 percent more likely to be injured in crashes.
Stay safe, friends, and take good care of the kids in your cars – they are precious cargo!
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