Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 18, according to Bob Lange, executive director of Structure and Safety Integration at General Motors Corporation. Too many adults underestimate the importance of car safety. This includes using a seatbelt for the older children and keeping the smaller ones on their booster seats instead of buckling them up with the car’s seatbelt.
While infants and toddlers are placed in car seats 90% of the time, children between 4 and 7 are not properly and safely seated more than three quarters of the time. During an enormous 27 percent of the time, these little ones are put at risk. Even when they are restrained by the car’s built-in safety belt.
A small child placed under a regular safety belt will often feel uncomfortable, causing the child to slouch or squirm. This in turn places them in an unsafe position that may not contain them if need be. In addition, the crossing belt, which is supposed to restrain an adult in the breast area, can create a dangerous impact on a child’s neck and throat if the car stops short. This alone represents a risk. Trying to explain to the child to sit still is not a solution. Safety issues are the sole responsibility of the adult.
Children that are too big to fit into a toddler’s car seat, should use a booster seat. When is it safe to get rid of the safety seat altogether? When your child stands 57 inches tall and weighs a minimum of 80 pounds, you can consider strapping her safely by the car belt. And never, ever allow her to skip the belt, let her sit in storage areas or on someone else’s lap.
Stay Safe!