Steps Parents Need to Take to Protect Their Kids
(ARA) - Before you hit the open road, there are a few things you need
to take care of. You need to make sure your engine is running smoothly,
your tires are properly inflated, and if you’ll be traveling
with children, you have the equipment to keep them properly restrained.
According
to the Centers for Disease Control, traffic crashes are the number
one killer of young children. In 2002, 2,542 children ages 15 and
younger died in car crashes; another 294,000 were injured. National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show nearly
half of the deaths and injuries occurred because the children were
not properly restrained.
“One
of the biggest problems we’re seeing is that parents graduate
their children from car seats to seatbelts when they should really
be in booster seats,” says Elly Martin, who is a spokesperson
for the NHTSA. “We’ve also seen a number of cases where
children who are in car seats are not very well secured.”
Every
state requires that infants and children ride buckled up. However,
state laws do not always require the safest way to transport a child.
So what is the safest way? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that infants always ride in the back seat -- in car seats that can
only be used rear-facing until they are at least a year old and 20
pounds.
“One
of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen parents make is switching
their child to a forward facing car seat too soon. Just because your
baby has turned a year old or is over 20 pounds doesn’t mean
they’re ready. They must achieve both milestones before the
switch is made,” says Jeff Beyer, senior vice president and
chief communications officer of Farmers Insurance.
There
are a number of car seats on the market that are considered safe for
babies at the in-between stage. So-called convertible car seats can
be used as rear facing until the child is up to 35 pounds, or forward
facing until they are around 40 pounds. They typically come with three
different types of restraints: 5-point harness, T-shield, and overhead
shield.
“When
your child reaches the top weight or height allowed for his or her
car seat, that doesn’t mean it’s time for them to switch
over to a regular seatbelt. At 3 or 4 years of age, most children
are still too short to be safely secured by a seatbelt. If they are
not at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, they need the added protection
of a booster seat,” says Beyer.
Making
Sure Seats are Safely Secured
Pediatricians
have done a good job spreading the word about the Academy’s
recommendations, and the statistics show parents are listening. The
number of fatal accidents involving children dropped from 2,603 in
2001 to 2,542 in 2002.
“We
are very heartened by improvements in child safety seat use by Americans;
however, there is still room for improvement if every child is to
travel safely on our roadways,” says Martin.
“Despite
their best intentions, parents don’t always install the seats
properly,” says Beyer. In the “New Parents” section
of its Web site, Farmers Insurance has numerous tips regarding the
proper installation of car seats.
Infant
Seats
-
Must
be used in a rear facing position until child is at least 12 months
old and weighs at least 20 pounds
-
Never
place this type of seat in front of an airbag. The preferred location
is in the back seat in the middle of the car.
-
Never
hold your baby in your lap when the vehicle is in motion.
-
Your
child’s head should be at least 1 inch below the top of
the child seat.
-
Rear
facing infant seats reduce the risk of fatal injury in a car crash
by 71 percent.
Toddler
Seats
-
Should
be in the forward facing position for children between 20 and
40 pounds and over 1 year of age.
-
When
using the seat in a forward-facing position, always use the highest
of the three sets of slots provided with this seat for the harness.
-
If
using this seat in a rear-facing position, the harness should
come out of the center or lowest slots.
-
The
harness should fit snugly with room for no more than one finger
between the harness and your child’s collarbone.
-
Forward-facing
safety seats for toddlers reduce the fatality risk by 54 percent.
Booster
Seats
-
Use
forward facing only.
-
High-back
booster with built-in harness: for children between 30 and 40
pounds. Harness should be replaced by adult lap and shoulder belt
when child reaches 40 pounds.
-
Belt
positioning booster seats: for children between 40 and 80 pounds
and up to four feet nine inches. Never use with only the lap belt
-- use with shoulder and adult lap belt together. Shoulder belt
should cross chest, never over stomach. Make sure belt fastens
without extra slack.
Another
common mistake parents can make is not properly securing the seat
itself in their vehicle. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 seats on
American roads are improperly installed. Seat Check, a national organization
that works with Toys R Us, the NHTSA, and several other sponsors holds
regular free inspection clinics that can give parents piece of mind.
To
find a child seat inspection station in your area, log onto www.seatcheck.org,
or call (866) SEATCHECK. You can find car seat installation and other
child safety advice on the Farmers Insurance Web site: www.farmers.com.
Courtesy
of ARA Content
