Stop, Look, Go Child Passenger Safety
Young children are more vulnerable than adults when being riding in a motor vehicle. Small children cannot be restrained by standard safety belts used by adults and teens, and there is no way that an adult can hold a child in their arms and keep them safe during a crash or sudden stop. Every 32 secondsduring 2017, a child under the age of 13in a passenger vehicle was involved in a crash according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA). Often times, injuries and fatalities involving young children can be prevented by proper use of child safety seats and booster seats. Parents need to know what seat to use and how to properly restrain their young children to keep them safe in the event of a collision or sudden maneuver.
September 15–21is designated as the National Child Passenger Safety Weekby NHTSA. Why is this important? The #1 killer of children in this country is preventable injuries. There were 723 deaths among children aged up to 12 years while riding as passengers with over 128,000injured in 2016. When this happens to a family, their life changes forever. Here are some tips provided by Safe Kids:
Child Seats
Make sure your child safety seatis properly installed and “fits” your vehicle. Seventy-three percent of child safety seats are not used or installed correctly, so before you hit the road, check out your car seat. For a quick car seat check-up, here are the top 5 things to do:
- Right seat(check manufacturer’s label for the appropriate child safety seat to use)
- Right place(your kids are VIPs, they sit in back seat)
- Right direction(child safety seats should be rear-facing until about 2 years of age)
- Inch test(shake the seat to check if it moves more than an inch side-to-side or front-to-back. If it does, it needs to be tightened.)
- Pinch test(after harnessing the child, pinch the strap – you shouldn’t be able to pinch any excess webbing).
It takes only 15 minutes. If you are having even the slightest trouble, questions or concerns, contact the manufacturer of the safety seat. Certified child passenger safety technicians should also be used to double-check the installation.
Learn how to install your child safety seat for free. Safe Kids hosts car seat inspection events across the country where certified technicians can help make sure your car seat is properly installed. They will teach you so that you can always be sure your car seat is used correctly.
Here in Arizona, several fire and police departments offer assistance regarding car seat selection and installation for your children. For example, Phoenix Fire Department has a free car seat inspection and installation program. They schedule appointments by phone (602-495-KIDS).
For both rear- and forward-facing child safety seats, use either the vehicle’s seat belt or LATCH system to lock the car seat in place. Don't use both at the same time.
Look at the label on your child safety seat to make sure it's appropriate for your child's age, weight and height. Your child safety seat has an expiration date – usually around six years. Find and double-check the label to make sure it's still safe to use.
Buy a used child safety seat onlyif you know its full history. That means you must buy it from someone you know, not from a thrift store, garage sale, or over the Internet. Once a child safety seat has been in a crash, it needs to be replacedfor safety reasons.
Booster Seats
Did you know that children properly secured in a booster seatin the back seat of a car are 45% less likely to be injured in a crash than children using a seat belt alone? A booster seat provides a step between a car seat with a harness and a standard safety belt. It boosts the child up higher for a safer and more comfortable fit of the adult seat belt.
Older kids get weighed and measured less often than babies, so check your child’s growth a few times a year. For most kids, they will be between ages 8 to 12 years old before they are ready to outgrow the use of a booster seat.
When your child is in a booster seat, make sure the lap and shoulder belts fit. The seat belt must lie flat across your child’s chest, on the bony part of the shoulder and low on the hips or upper thighs. Do notplace the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.
As a parent or guardian, most likely you would agree that children need our full attention before we hit the road with them as passengers. Regardless of how expensive the vehicle is, whatever safety features it may have, securing a child in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat with proper position and harnessing is a must. After all, we adults are responsible and accountable for their safety.
The authors would appreciate your questions, comments or suggestions on future topics via email (trafficsafetyexpert@gmail.com).
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and may not necessarily represent the views of the agencies they are affiliated with. Information is for general awareness and not intended to substitute for professional advice, and thus the authors cannot be held accountable for anything contained in this article.
Kohinoor Kar, Ph.D., P.E., PTOE, a professional engineer vastly experienced in roadway, traffic and safety field, has been with the State of Arizona for the past 15 years. He has published a number of research papers and presented at several prestigious conferences. Dr. Kar serves on several safety-related advisory committees/panels at the State, national and international levels. He is currently a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University.
Michael J. Cynecki, P.E., PTOE retired from the City of Phoenix after a career of 26 years in the Transportation Department, and is currently with the consulting firm of Lee Engineering, LLC. Mr. Cynecki is an Emeritus member of the Transportation Research Board Committee on Pedestrians.