Child Passenger Safety

Do you know what percentage of child safety restraints are used incorrectly? Do you know when it’s safe for a child to ride in a vehicle with only the lap and shoulder belts? What is the best child safety seat to buy?

Not knowing these answers can place a child passenger at higher risk than necessary. Motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for American children — ranking ahead of all other types of unintentional injuries and claiming more lives than any childhood disease. That is why all 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed mandatory child-safety-seat usage laws.

Many people believe they can protect children while riding in a vehicle by holding them on their laps, but safety experts call this the "child crusher" position. Actually, a parent or other adult increases both the probability and degree of injury to a child in a crash with this practice. If unrestrained, infants and children are thrown around the vehicle like flying missiles.

When buying a child safety seat, remember to select one that you will use every time you transport your child. Choose a seat that fits your child, your vehicle, and your budget, but don’t base your selection of a child safety seat solely on price. The seat should fit your child’s weight and height. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s recommendations. Try installing the seat in your vehicle to be certain that it fits and can be tightly secured. Most stores will allow you to examine different models.

Types of Child Safety Seats

• Infant-only seats — These seats are designed for babies weighing up to 22 pounds, generally from 9 to 12 months of age. Infant safety seats should be installed to face the rear of the vehicle only and are secured by the vehicle’s safety belt. Infants under 1 year of age must ride in a rear-facing position. Never install a rear-facing child safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with activated air bags.

• Convertible — These seats are designed for use by infants and toddlers. They can be used in a rear-facing position for infants up to 22 pounds or in the forward-facing position for toddlers up to 40 pounds and about 4 years of age. Some convertible seats are designed to accommodate infants up to 35 pounds in a rear-facing position. Convertible seats are available in three basic styles: five-point harness, T-shield, and tray shield.

• High-back belt-positioning booster—These seats are intended for older children. Though most state laws do not require children over the age of 4 to be in a booster seat, it is much safer. The seat is used as a transition from a convertible seat to the adult safety belt. These booster seats offer the best upper-body protection for children weighing from 20 to 80 pounds. Before the child is 40 pounds and tall enough for the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belts, these seats offer a five-point harness system to protect the upper body. Booster seats should be used until the child properly fits the lap and shoulder belts. The average child should be able to fit in lap and shoulder belts correctly when they are approximately 4 foot 5 inches in height and weigh at least 80 pounds.

National Child Passenger Safety Week is the week of Feb. 11–17. Contact the PA Traffic Injury Prevention Project at 1-800-CAR-BELT for a child safety seat check-point in your area.

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Published in the February 2001 issue of the AAA Traveler.