Child Passenger Safety Week

When it comes to keeping your children safe in the car, you consider yourself to be pretty cautious. You don't leave the driveway until everyone has their seatbelts on. You drive carefully, especially when the kids are in the car. You never dial and drive, and you always make the kids ride in the back seat. But are you sure you have everything covered? The week of September 21 to 27 is Child Passenger Safety Week. This is a great time to brush up on the facts, rules and recommendations regarding children riding in vehicles.

First of all, everyone under the age of twelve needs to be in the back seat. Your nine year old may beg to sit in the front seat during a short trip to the grocery store, but before you give in and let her ride shotgun, consider this: Children ages twelve and under are 36% less likely to die in a car crash if they are seated and properly restrained in the back seat instead of the front. And, 75% of vehicle crashes occur within twenty-five miles of home. Keep your youngster as safe as possible, even during the shortest rides, by making them sit in the back.

You probably know that booster seats are now either recommended or required, depending on which state you live in. The guidelines for who needs a booster seat can be difficult to understand, though. Its obvious that your four-year-old should be in a booster seat, but what about your twelve-year-old? How do you know whether your child still needs a booster seat, or not? Have your kids take this simple Seat Belt Safety Test.

First, have the child sit all the way back on the back seat. Observe where his legs bend. If they bend naturally over the edge of the seat, he may be able to sit without a booster seat. If his legs stick out because they're too short to bend over the edge of the seat, he still needs a booster seat to be safe!

If the child's legs do bend naturally, try buckling the lap and shoulder belt. The lap belt should lie on her upper legs or hips. The shoulder belt should lie on her shoulder or collar bone. It should not be across her face or neck. You may have heard that it is okay to move the shoulder belt under the child's arm or behind the child's back, if it doesn't fit her. However, this is not safe. If the child cannot use a shoulder belt properly, she needs to be in a booster seat.

Before you start shopping for a booster seat, its important to know that a regular car seat is actually the safest way for small children to ride in cars. The car seat is attached securely to the regular seat using either a seat belt or a LATCH system, and has its own special seatbelt built in for the child to use. A booster seat, on the other hand, simply boosts the child up so that they are tall enough to use the regular lap and shoulder belt. If your child is under the age of four, weighs less than forty pounds, or is not yet too tall for his regular car seat, consider keeping him in the car seat for a while longer.

Once you have figured out which of your children need booster seats, which need to stay in car seats a while longer, and which can use adult seat belts, it is important to make sure that you have installed your car seats and booster seats correctly. Make sure to read the installation manual that comes with the car seat. However, that manual can be hard to understand. If you still need help, visit http://www.seatcheck.org to find a Child Safety Seat Inspection Site near you. There, someone will be able to help you install your seat, or make sure you're using it correctly.

But there is more to child passenger safety than just making sure they're buckled up. Here are a few extra tips for you to consider.

One hazard that many people don't think about is the possibility of being hit by flying objects when the car crashes or even stops quickly. Do not keep glass, sharp or flammable items in the car with you. Keep heavy items such as computers, suitcases, etc, in the trunk of your car, or secure them with cargo nets or straps.

Locking your doors and keeping your windows rolled up can lower the risk of injuries in a crash.

Teach children that they need to behave properly in the car. Fighting, screaming, throwing things, etc, can distract the driver, and put everyone in the car at risk. Obviously, if you have an infant or toddler, there will be times when they'll be screaming, and you'll just have to do your best to drive safely. But if your children are preschool aged or older, you can teach them to follow safety rules in the car.

Teach children to keep their seatbelts on during the entire ride. They should not try to stretch their seatbelts to allow them to move around or stand up in the car.

Children should develop the habit of putting their seatbelts on, every time they get into a car.

Most children ride in cars every day of their lives. By using proper restraint systems, following safety tips, and teaching children about safe behavior in cars, you can make sure that your children are safe passengers!

Sources

Booster Seat Safety: How To Choose And Use A Better Booster Seat

By Melonie Haiken

http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/

Safety Belt Fit Test

Safe Kids USA

http://www.usa.safekids.org