Booster Seats Protect Children
A child who has recently outgrown their child restraint seat should not go straight to a regular seat and seatbelt. Seatbelts are not designed for an child who weighs 80 pounds and will not provide the type of protection that a child needs to stay restrained. A booster seat that meets federal safety standards is necessary to help the child make the transition from a child’s car seat to the regular car seat.
Unfortunately, most of the 20 million children in the U.S. who should be in a booster seat in the car are not. While the worst-case scenario is for a child to be in an automobile unrestrained, having the wrong restraint can also pose a serious risk.
A child wearing a poorly-fitted adult safety belt can sustain serious, life-threatening injuries, including being ejected from a vehicle during a crash. Using just a seat belt, kids are 3.5 time more likely to suffer significant injury, and four times more likely to suffer a head injury. An adult-sized seat belt alone is 60 percent less effective than a booster seat.
A lap belt can ride up on the stomach and the neck and face can be covered by the shoulder belt on a small child passenger. Children are not only safer, but can see better and are more comfortable in a booster seat that allows the safety belt to fit and function as intended. A booster seat accomplishes this by lifting the child so that they are tall enough that the shoulder and lap belt fit appropriately. A lap belt should sit low on the body, be across the top of the thighs and not cover the stomach. The shoulder belt should come across the middle of the chest and collarbone or shoulder. This helps protect the internal organs, spine and head from injury in the event of a car crash.
Does Your Child Need a Booster Seat?
How do you know if your child needs to be in a booster seat? Children who have outgrown a child safety seat should ride in a booster seat until they are at least eight years old, or four feet, nine inches tall. Generally, kids from four to eight years old, and from 40 to 80 pounds, need to be in a booster seat. A child who is smaller than average may need to sit in a booster seat until they are ten years old or older.
Indicators that a booster seat is needed include an inability to sit all the way back against the seat back; an inability to bend the knees comfortably at the edge of the seat; a safety belt that does not cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm; a lap belt that does not sit low across the abdomen, touching the hips and thighs; and an inability for the child to be comfortable and stay seated like this for the entire trip.
Are Booster Seats Really Safe?
Many parents and caregivers incorrectly believe that booster seats may not be safe. Concerns include that booster seats are loose fitting and unstable that might not adequately restrain a child in a crash, but these are unfounded.
Children should stay in their car safety seat as long as possible before moving to a booster seat. Once your child reaches the upper weight or height allowed for your seat, as listed on the label and instruction manual for the seat), or his/her ears have reached the top of the seat, it’s time to move to the booster seat.
Booster seats, used in the back seat, are held in place by the seatbelt, and used with the lap and shoulder belts, just as an adult uses them. They are not tethered to the car like a child car seat. High-back and backless booster seats are available, and should be used until your child can correctly fit in lap and shoulder seat belts. Never use a booster seat with just a lap belt, as serious injury may result.
If your child was injured as the result of an ineffective car seat, you may have a legal claim. Contact an unsafe products or car crash attorney immediately for more information.
About the Author
LegalView.com, your source for everything legal on the web is your complete legal information portal. Visit us at http://www.legalview.com/ for information on contacting a Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) lawyer, or a mesothelioma lawyer. Users can also go to http://crash.legalview.com to contact a auto-accident lawyer in their area.
Booster Seat Safety Tips
|
|
Safety 1st Nourish High Chair, Vintange Romance $113.99 Nourish High Chair in Vintage Romance 7-position height adjustment 3-position recline adjusts with one hand 4-position tray releases from the front Dishwasher-safe insert tray Permanent restraint with snack tray 5-point restraint system Easy fold frame is simple to store…. |
|
|
Disney Princess High Chair, Princess Silhouette $115.99 Disney Princess High Chair (Princess Silhouette)7-position height adjustmentDishwashersafe insert trayLength 34.25Width 23.75Height 46.5… |
|
|
Challenger High Chair Strap Replacement (06-0923) Category: High Chairs $11.41 Item #: 06-0923. Improved hardwood construction. Stackable. Assembled or knocked down. 18 1/2″L x 19 1/2″W x 29″H Customers also search for: Restaurant Supplies\Dining Room Supplies\High Chairs and Booster Seats\High Chairs restaurant equipment, kitchen supplies Discount High Chair Strap Replacement, Buy High Chair Strap Replacement, Wholesale High Chair Strap Replacement, Furniture -High Chairs… |
|
|
Panasonic FV-11VQ5 WhisperCeiling 110 CFM Ceiling Mounted Fan, White $234.00 … |
|
|
Coleman Cable 08660 Heavy-Duty 4-Gauge Auto Battery Booster Cables with Polar Glo-Watt Clamps (20 Feet) $86.99 When your car or truck needs a boost, the Road Power Extra Heavy-Duty Booster Cables are the safest way to transfer power from a 12-volt automobile battery. The easy-to-use, no-tangle cables have a trademarked T-Prene coating for flexibility and easy storage. They feature special clamps with triple-polarity identification that is color-coded, indent stamped, and marked with glow-in-the-dark labels… |
|
|
Xantrex XPower Powerpack 600HD Portable Power Source $169.95 There are many times when extra power is needed, but not available. If an outlet is not within reach or plugging into the dashboard cigarette lighter is simply not an option, you’ll be pleased that you have the Xantrex Powerpack 600HD. This 600-watt device is an all-in-one unit that is not only powerful enough to start your car, but robust enough to provides portable power for small appliances — … |
|
|
Simple Steps to Child Passenger Safety $31.00 Fathers and mothers: more than 80% of car seats in the United States are NOT installed correctly-causing many preventable injuries to children. Join our Certified Passenger Safety Instructors as they teach some simple steps that could save your child’s life. Many of these steps are not intuitive and are often overlooked. First-timers, seasoned parents, and grandparents alike can easily learn how … |
|
|
7-Keto DHEA, 100mg, 60 VegCaps $17.95 7-Keto DHEA The 7-Keto DHEA GOLD™ Difference As a dietary supplement, 7-Keto DHEA GOLD™, offers four key benefits including an excellent safety profile, industry-leading efficacy, ability to boost metabolism without the use of stimulants, and a world-class clinical trial pedigree. Rigorous toxicology, pharmacokinetic and human safety trials strongly support that 7-Keto DHEA is non-toxi… |
|
|
Nordic Naturals Baby”s DHA with Vitamin D3 … |
|
|
Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA … |
