Car crashes are the number one killer of children 1 to 12 years old in the United States. The best way to protect them in the car is to put them in the right seat, at the right time, and use it the right way.
There are so many car seat types and models, how do you know which one is right for your child? The right car seat or booster fits your child and your car, and is one you will use correctly every time you travel. Not only will your child ride as safely as possible, you will be establishing the foundation for a lifelong habit of seat belt use every time your child travels.
National Child Passenger Safety Week starts today, and the NHTSA asks an all-important question: “Is your child in the right car seat?”
According to the safety administration, car crashes are the number one killer of children under 12 years old. That’s a chilling statistic given the amount of time many families spend on the road hustling here and there
Contributing to that statistic, the NHTSA says three out of four child safety seats are not used correctly. Research has shown “child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent in infants and 54 percent for toddlers.”
AAA offers these guidelines:
- Keep children rear-facing as long as possible until they reach the upper weight or height limit of their seat — usually around 30-35 pounds.
- Children should use a forward-facing child safety seat until they reach the maximum weight or height for the harness — usually 40-65 pounds.
- Children should ride in a booster seat until they are 8-years-old or 4 feet, 9inches.
- For all children under 13 years old, the back seat is the safest place to travel.