Car Seats

Recently, the news reported on the importance of car seats for toddlers. Here are the some of the child passenger safety recommendations.

Rear Facing in the back seat:

• Birth to one year of age and
• 20 lbs or under

Forward Facing in the back seat:

• Toddlers from one year to four years of age and
• 20 lbs to 40 lbs
• It is best to keep the toddler rear facing as long as possible

Booster seat in the back seat:

• Children from four years of age to about eight years
• 4' 8" tall or under
• Children should stay in a booster seat until the adult seatbelt fits correctly over the lap and shoulder

Seatbelts in the back seat:

• Children at least eight years old
• 4' 9" and taller

Seatbelts in either the back or front seat:

• Teenagers 13 years old and older

Here are some enlightening statistics:

1. Children riding in the front seat are 40% more likely to be injured in a crash than those riding in the back seat.
2. Children in the back seat are about 38 percent less likely to be injured in a crash.
3. Car seats reduce the risk of death by 71% for infants and by 54% for children ages 1-4.
4. Booster seats reduce injury to 4-8 year olds by about 59%.
5. 42% of all unintentional childhood deaths are due to crashes.
6. Motor vehicle crashes claims nearly 1,800 children's lives and results in more than 274,000 injuries each year.
7. Approximately 80 percent of car seats are not installed and/or used correctly.
8. Seat belt use among young children often depends upon the driver’s seat belt use. Almost 40% of children riding with unbelted drivers were also unbelted.

Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States!!!

Please follow the car seat recommendation, confirm proper installation, and always wear seatbelts. Talk to your health care professional for more information.
Excellent resources include the Healthy Children website and the NHTSA site.

Thank you.