Child Passenger Safety

Riding in an automobile is the most dangerous thing our children do and they do it nearly every day. We never know when an accident will occur. 80 percent of automobile accidents happen within 20 minutes from home.[i] Therefore it is imperative that our children ride safely each and every time they are in an automobile.

The first step is to select an appropriate child safety seat. Infants under the age of one year AND weight of 20 pounds must ride rear-facing.[ii] The baby weighing twenty-five pounds at nine months of age must ride rear-facing as does the eighteen pound eighteen month old. Recent research has led the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend rear-facing to the limit of the seat.[iii] The least expensive rear-facing seat (Cosco Scenera) rear-faces to 35 pounds.[iv] The average child will reach that limit around age three.[v] A rear-facing seat is outgrown in height when the child’s head is one inch from the top of the car seat shell.

Once the child has reached the limit for rear-facing, they must sit in a forward-facing harnessed seat. The majority of forward-facing seats harness to 40 pounds. maximum harness heights vary from 14 inches to 17 inches. A forward-facing seat is outgrown when over the weight limit, the shoulders go above the top useable harness slot, or the ears are above the shell of the seat. The bare minimum to sit in a belt-positioning booster is age 4 AND weighing 40 pounds. Often children this young are not mature enough to sit in a seat belt or he/she may fall over when asleep in the car. Most child safety experts agree that children should be 6 years old before moving to a belt positioning booster due to bone development.[vi] In order to reach this goal, many children should be in a harnessed seat that has a higher weight limit of 50 lbs. or more.[vii]

When it is time for a booster seat, one with a high back should be selected. The head rest should provide side impact protection. Look for a seat with open belt guides so the belt can move freely and not allow slack in front of the child. The back portion of the seat is outgrown once the child’s shoulders are above the highest belt setting. Then it is time to use a backless (low back) booster. When the child can pass the Five Step Test[viii], they may ride with a lap-shoulder belt alone. Remember that every step up in child restraints is a step down in safety.

Eighty percent of child safety seats are installed and used incorrectly.[ix] Be sure to read both the car seat manual and the portion of your vehicle's manual pertaining to installation of car seats. When installed, the seat should not move more than 1 inch at the belt path. The harness should be snug with no twists in the straps. Bulky clothing should not be worn.[x] The chest clip needs to be positioned at armpit level. Do not use an expired car seat. Most expire 6 years after the date of manufacture.[xi] (Found imprinted in the seat’s plastic.) Finally, it is recommended that a Child Passenger Safety Technician review your work. Call 843-2338 to make an appointment with Tooele’s CPST.

Children are our most precious cargo. They look to adults for protection. Let us make wise decisions to keep them safe.

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[i] http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/injury/files/PCPS_Charts_Images/dist_from_home_05.pdf

[ii] http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

[iii] http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

[iv] http://www.carseatsite.com/recommended_car_seats.htm#Infant/Toddler%20Seats_(Convertible_Seats)

[v] http://www.kidsgrowth.com/stages/viewgrowthcharts.cfm?id=BW318

[vi] http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/4211/Car_Seat_Safety:_5-point_Harness_is_Safest.htm

[vii] http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/3137/Our_Recommended_Car_Seats.htm

[viii] http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/634_5step_demo.pdf

[ix] http://www.usa.safekids.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=2530&folder_id=680

[x] http://pediatrics.about.com/od/carseats/a/0107_wintercoat.htm

[xi] http://www.childrestraintsafety.com/manufacture-expiration.html