Every state creates its own laws regarding child passenger safety, but the federal government has issued recommendations for traveling in cars with young children. Car seats and booster seats can help keep your toddler safe if they're used properly, but a 2005 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration--NHTSA--states that 72.6 percent of observed child restraint systems were being misused.
Function
Seat belts in cars are designed for adults and can cause injury or fail to secure young children. Car seats and booster seats elevate the child so that the car's seat belts are in the proper positions on his body.
Expert Insight
The NHTSA recommends that children between 1 year old and 20 pounds and 4 years old and 40 pounds ride in a forward-facing child safety seat. From ages 4 to 8, or until your child reaches a height of 4 feet 9 inches, she should ride in a booster seat.
Types
A forward-facing car seat is fastened into the vehicle using the car's seat belt and has a harness to restrain your child. With a booster seat, the car's seat belt holds your child in place. The booster seat may have a high back that provides support for your child's neck and head. Backless booster seats are only recommended for cars with built-in head rests, according to the NHTSA. All three types of toddler car seats should be used in the back seat of the vehicle. Some manufacturers produce combination safety seats and booster seats that can be adjusted as your child grows.
Seat Belts
The NHTSA recommends that both lap and shoulder seat belts be used with booster seats. If your car's back seat only has lap belts, you may be able to have a shoulder belt installed. When seated in the booster, the shoulder belt should cross the center of your child's chest and the lap belt should rest on the thighs or pelvis. Your child could be seriously injured during impact if the belts rest on her neck or stomach.
Considerations
Injury can occur if your child has outgrown his car seat. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, your child is too big for his seat if his ears are at or above the level of the seat back or his shoulders are higher than the slots for the seat's harness. Your child has also outgrown his seat if he exceeds the height or weight limits in the car seat's manual.
Inspection
The NHTSA maintains a list of child safety seat inspection stations throughout the country. Through their website, you can find a location in your area where a certified technician will inspect and provide instructions on the installation of your toddler's car seat.
