According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle accidents and crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. This statistic makes properly installed child safety seats a top priority for parents. A properly installed car seat, one that is installed according to the directions and use guidelines, greatly reduces the risk of a potentially fatal injury in babies and children. Child seat inspection stations across the country will verify if the seat is installed properly. The best car seat fits a child's weight, size and age as well as the vehicle the seat is placed in and has a lable that says the seat meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
History
In 1968, federal law mandated that seat belts be installed in front and back seats of all motor vehicles. It wasn't until 1971 that NHTSA established the first standard for a child restraint system that required a forward facing car seat secured by a seat belt. In 1981, the first federal car seat crash test standard was adopted. By 1999, universal child restraint systems standards for new car seats were introduced.
Benefits
Kidshealth.org states that child safety seats are the best protection a parent can give a child when traveling by bar. Child's car safety seats are specifically designed to protect the brain and spinal cord during crashes by distributing the energy from a crash around the child. In infants and babies, the head is heavy and the neck is fragile, which can lead to spinal cord damage during car accidents if proper protection in a rear facing child safety seat is not present. Safety seats cradle the body of infants and babies to absorb the shock.
Types
Infants, from birth to age 1 and between 20 and 22 lbs. should use a rear-facing seat in the back seat. Use the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, LATCH, system to lock the car seat in to the car and adjust the chest clip to the armpit level. Check the tightness of the straps and seat before each car ride. The head should be at least 2 inches below the top of the safety seat.
Toddler seats are used for children older than age 1 and more than 22 lbs. up to 40 lbs. These seats are forward-facing in the back seat. Use the LATCH system to lock the car seat into the car. Pull the harness tight so there is no room to pinch the webbing at the shoulder.
Booster seats are used for children weighing between 80 and 100 lbs. and average around 4 feet, 9 inches tall. For most kids, this is between ages 8 to 12. These seats are used when kids are too small to be properly restrained by seat belts but too big for full car seats.
Laws
All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have rules about restraining children in moving vehicles. The District of Columbia and 47 states have laws that require a booster seat for those children who fall in between toddler seats and the vehicle's seat belt. Penalties for not adhering to the law range from monetary fines to points on the driver's license.
Considerations
Children should be taught that car safety rules are to be followed every time they are in a car, no matter who is driving. Seat belts must be fastened before the car starts and worn until the car stops. Children under 12 should always ride in the back seat to protect them from passenger side air bags. Children should also remember to tone down yelling and play in the car to not distract the driver.
References
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Traffic Safety Facts
- Traffic Safety Center: Getting America to Buckle Up
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 2010 Child Passenger Safety Week Fact Sheet
- Kids Health: Auto Safety
- Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Frequently Asked Questions
