Young Passengers

Little Ones Are Especially Vulnerable To Injury In Traffic Accidents

Use Proper Restraints to Prevent Head Injury

Laws are very strict concerning car seats and other safety devices for children, and with good reason. Because their heads are heavier than adults’ in relation to their bodies, unrestrained young children are likely to be thrown forward headfirst in collisions – and head injuries are usually very serious. Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants (less than 1 year old) and by 54 percent for toddlers (1 to 4 years old) in passenger cars (NHTSA, 2008).

Use Restraints Properly

It’s critical that those restraints are used correctly; if not, they will fail in crashes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Infants should ride in rear-facing infant seats or rear-facing convertible seats until they are at least one year old and weigh at least 20 pounds.
• Toddlers and pre-schoolers should ride in convertible seats. While it is best for a child to ride rear-facing for as long as possible, children can ride facing forward once they’ve passed their first birthday and weigh 20 pounds.
• School-age children who have outgrown their forward-facing car safety seats should ride in booster seats until adult safety belts fit correctly – usually between the ages of eight and twelve, when a child reaches about 4’9” in height.
• Older children should ride with lap-and-shoulder belts in the back seat until they are about 13 years old.