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This year, nearly 700 children younger than 5 will be killed and 60,000 injured in car accidents. Sadly, 80 percent of these deaths could be prevented with the use of child safety restraints. Infant seats and child car seats are engineered to safely absorb and distribute crash impact over a child's body while holding a child in place. The restraint prevents the child from getting ejected in the accident or from being hurt by hitting the car's interior. Parents risk the lives of their children by not putting them in any type of car seat, putting them in incorrectly or putting them in an inappropriate safety seat.

Several misconceptions surround infants and car safety. It is wrongly assumed that holding an infant tightly will be better for the child in the event of an accident. During a 30-mile-per-hour crash, test studies have shown that a baby will be crushed between the parent's body and the dashboard or be ripped from the parent's arms with a force of almost 300 pounds. Another myth is that a child is safer NOT belted into the car because he or she will be thrown free of the crash and saved. In reality, a child not secured in a safety seat is 25 times more likely to die in a crash.

There are other advantages to securing kids in car seats. Parents whose children are buckled in are actually better drivers since they are less likely to be distracted by children moving around in the car. And some studies suggest children in the proper car seat tend to suffer less motion sickness.

How do I select a car seat?

Selecting a car seat should be determined by the weight of the child:

• From birth to weighing at least 20 pounds, a baby must sit in an infant safety seat, facing backward in the car. Facing backward helps protect the baby from neck injuries. This position should continue until the baby is 1 year old. Infants should never sit in the front seat of a car with a passenger-side air bag. The back seat is safer than the front seat, for every car seat.

• Children who weigh at least 20 pounds and are 1 year old should sit in a seat facing forward until age 4 or at a weight of 40 pounds. Harness straps should be threaded through the top slots of the car seat. The straps should be straight and the fit snug. The harness chest clip must be at the child's armpit level for proper placement.

• Children heavier than 40 pounds must be secured in a booster seat that uses the adult lap and shoulder belt. The shoulder belt should fit tightly against the child's chest and rest across the collarbone. The lap belt should lie across a child's upper thigh. A high-back booster seat is recommended if a car has a low seat back. A booster seat is required until the child can sit with his or her back straight against the vehicle seat back cushion, with knees bents over the vehicle's seat edge, and feet touching the floor.

• A child should be placed in a booster seat until they weigh about 60 pounds.

Child safety seat laws differ from state to state. To ensure you understand the specific laws regarding car seat safety in your area, contact your local officials.

Are there different types of car seats?

Besides the rear-facing infant seat, there is a convertible safety seat that can be used in rear- and forward-facing positions (a convertible seat faces backward for an infant and forward for a toddler). It has two different belt paths, one for each direction. There is also the booster seat, which always faces forward and has a removable shield.

How can I check to see if the car seat is installed correctly?

Besides selecting the right car seat for a child's age and weight, parents should make sure the car seat is installed correctly. Manufacturers provide detailed instructions on installation and correct usage. Parents need to know the specifics of using shoulder straps, how to use a chest clip to keep harness straps on a child's shoulders and how the straps can be adjusted. Always try out the seat in your car and make sure it's steady before driving with your child in it. Sometimes a locking clip or tethers are needed to keep the seat steady. Most important, always fill out a car seat's registration car so that if the car seat is recalled for a defect you can be contacted. You may also contact theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics for its yearly updated list of infant/child safety seats.

When is my child ready for a booster seat?

Safety Belt Safe USA, a California-based nonprofit traffic safety advocacy and service organization, developed a simple way for parents to determine when it's time to put a child in a booster seat. Here, the decision is not based on height or weight. It's time for a booster if a parent answers "yes" to the following questions:

Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?

Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?

Is the lap belt touching the tops of the thighs, not the abdomen?

Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?

Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

Parents who are unsure about the proper safety seat for their child can contact a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Many states and regions have "fitting stations" where a parent can get hands-on help.

Other tips to ensure safety while driving

• Set a good example. Make sure all adults in the car are buckled in. Insist that babysitters or grandparents always use the car seat or booster seat in their vehicles when transporting children.

• Never take the infant or the child out of the seat while the car is in motion, even for just a minute.

• Don't be influenced by crying or complaints while driving. Always pull over and stop the car to take care of the situation.

• For comfort in hot weather, place a towel over the car seat's vinyl covering.

Break up a long car ride by stopping often and letting kids walk around for a while.

 

For  more  information:  Please  consult  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.