Safer Child Products

I posted a video on my Safer Child Products FB page the other day that really upset me.  It showed wonderful family bonding, but at least 2 out of the 3 children appeared to be improperly restrained.  The child sitting in the front seat couldn't have been more that 8y/o.  The front passenger's seat is not a safe place for young children to sit, especially if there is an active airbag.  Until you are at least age 13 you should ride in the rear seat if at all possible.

Then a friend asked me if I could give a ride to her small 1st grade daughter.  She is about 7 y/o and about 50 pounds.  When I asked if she rides in a booster, the mom said no.  After careful consideration, I realized that I was not comfortable with this.  My 8 y/o who is taller and slim but probably close to 50 pounds rides in a backless booster.  I told the Mom that in my car I would be more comfortable if her child would ride in a booster.  I explained that a Belt Positioning Booster Seat(BPB) raises the child up to a position where the Vehicle Seat Belt will fit them properly. Ideally, a child should be in a belt positioning booster seat from the time they outgrow their forward facing seat with harness (usually between ages 3-5) until they reach 4'9" tall.

The child should be able to pass The Safety Belt Fit Test.  Did I just say 4’9”?  Yes I did.  Did I forget to mention the age limit?  No, I chose not to, because it is not about their age, it is about how the adult seat belt fits them.  Whether in a BPB or not, the seat belt needs to cross between the shoulder and the neck and the lap belt needs to sit across the hard hip bones or upper thighs,  NOT on the soft tummy.  If a seat belt does not fit properly, a child is likely to sustain life-threatening injuries in a crash.  The shoulder belt will not hold them back into the seat, and the lap belt can cause a number of injuries to the internal organs.

For more information on Booster Seat Safety and on the Safety Belt Fit Test go to http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/big-kids/on-the-way/booster-seat-and-seat-belts.html

Safer Child Products

Do you ever wonder where the safest spot in the car is for your child? You need to take into consideration their age, the type of Child Restraint, how many people typically ride in your car and the recommendations of both the Vehicle Owner’s Manual, and the Child Restraint Manual. Then see what configuration works best in your car.

What really concerns me is that I have seen so many children under the age of 8 riding in the front seat of a vehicle, without even benefit of a booster seat! 

On the visor of the passenger side of my car there is a warning:  “Children can be killed or seriously injured by the air bag. The back seat is the safest place for children.”

The vehicle owner’s manual says “Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in the second or third row seats.”

I understand if you have a large family, or are transporting many children, you need to figure out the best seating position for all of them.  If you have no other choice than to use the front seat, see if you can switch off the passenger side airbag and move the seat back as far as possible.  However, NEVER put a rear facing child restraint in front of an active air bag!  So, why do so many parents act carefree and let their young children ride in the front seat?

Most children of this age should be in car seats or booster seats. Most children this age are not tall enough to use a lap/shoulder belt without a booster seat.  As stated in www.safekids.org, “For children ages 5-9 who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall and less than 80 to 100 pounds, a car seat or booster seat is recommended.”

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Safer Child Products

Some cars have as many as 11 airbags. Some airbags are not safe next to a child car seat.  Check your vehicle owners’ manual to be sure that you know all the locations of the airbags in your car and if you have side curtain or safety canopy airbags, versus side impact airbags.  Head/chest /torso side impact airbags may be more dangerous to a child passenger due to their size and the force of a deploying airbag. Look also for recommendations on best placement of a child car seat depending on the type of airbag system you have in the rear of the car.

Safer Child Products

Do you know what the child restraint laws are in your state?  Every state has slightly different laws and the laws do not necessarily reflect "best practice".

In the state of Delaware, children are required to be in a child car seat or booster seat up to age 8 or 65 lbs, whichever comes first, whereas in our neighboring state of Maryland the law says All children under age 8 or 4'9"  must be in a "child restraint" unless they are 65lbs or more. 

New Jersey Law requires "Children under 8 years of age who weigh less than 80 pounds to ride properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat in the rear seat of the vehicle."

What these laws don't tell you is that the vehicle seat belt may not properly fit until a child is 4'9".  Even so, most belt positioning booster seats are rated to 80 or 100 pounds.  A belt positioning booster seat must only be used with the Lap/Shoulder belt combination, never with a lap belt alone.

The back seat is the safest place to sit, until at least age 13, because a child's body is not strong enough to withstand the impact of an airbag in a crash.  If you have no other option but the front seat be sure to turn off the passenger airbag. 

 http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/big-kids/on-the-way/booster-seat-and-seat-belts.html