The leading cause of death for children in the US, is car crashes. We sometimes cannot really avoid accidents, but parents should know that child injury during vehicular accidents can be significantly reduced or deterred by the proper use of car safety seats. And, the reason why many children are injured of die during car accidents is that child safety seats and restraints are not used correctly.
Without the proper and strict observance of car safety procedures by parents, many children get injured and die during car accidents. if you want to lower the risk of your 4-7 year old child during a car accident, then make sure that they sit in booster seats instead of using safety belts alone.
To best protect your children while riding the car, make them use the most age appropriate car seat safety device. You can go to a local auto body and collision repair shops to get free inspections and tips for safe car seat use since they are experts on child car seat safety.
Infants under a year old should be kept in an age=appropriate safety seat installed in the back seat. The seat should be facing backwards. The baby should always be in this backward facing position until they outgrow the limit for weight and height. When they grow older to around 1 to 4 years old, they should have a car seat that is facing forward and the seat should be placed in the back-middle portion. They should stay in the sane seat until they grow out of the seat’s limitations.
If you child is between 4 to 8 years old, he can use a booster seat which is placed in the back-middle portion. There are two belts here, one across the thigh and on across the chest. It is important to have a seat belt adjuster especially is the shoulder belt falls on the child in an awkward manner. This seat best adjuster will help the belt in a lower, more comfortable position.
If your child is between 8 and 13 years old, the best place you can make them sit is in the middle back. He can only sit in front when he reaches almost 5 feet.
Here are some additional rules to ensure your child’s car riding safety.
You don’t need to rush your children to the next car seat because if they are too small for it, then they will not be protected properly by it.
It is important to securely fasten car seats even if there is no child sitting on it. Unsecured booster seats and car seats will be the fist thing to go flying in an accident which could hurt the driver or the passengers.
Don’t use a car seat that has already been in an accident.
