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About Booster Seats
Why, when, and
how to get your child into a booster seat.
Motor
vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for children age
4 to 14. In fact, a third of all children in the U.S. age 14 and under
are riding in the wrong restraint type for their age and size, according
to a 2002 observational study conducted by the National SAFE KIDS
Campaign.
As babies move from a car seat to a seat belt, the step that parents
most often miss is using a booster seat for a child who has outgrown
a forward-facing toddler seat. In fact, fewer than 6 percent of children
who should be in a booster seat use one, according to National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Lap and shoulder belts are
designed for an adult's body and do not protect young children in
a crash. Moreover, a safety belt that doesn't fit right can cause
serious injuries to a young child in a crash.
A booster seat
raises a child up so that the seat belt fits right and can better
protect your child in case of an accident. The shoulder belt should
cross your child's chest and rest snugly on his shoulder, and the
lap belt should rest low across the pelvis or hip area--never across
the stomach area. Your child's ears shouldn't be higher than the vehicle's
back seat cushion or the back of a high booster seat.
When
to Use a Booster Seat
As a general rule, children who have outgrown child safety seats should
be properly restrained in booster seats until they are at least 8
years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Here are some
guidelines from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) on how to graduate a child from a rear-facing infant seat,
to a forward-facing toddler seat, then to a booster seat, and finally
to a safety belt.
Step 1: Rear-facing
infant seats in the back seat from birth to at least 1 year of age
and at least 20 pounds.
Step 2: Forward-facing
toddler seats in the back seat from about age 1 to about age 4 and
20 to 40 pounds.
Step 3: Booster
seats in the back seat from about age 4 and 40 pounds to at least
age 8 and 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Step 4: Seat
belts at age 8 or older and taller than 4 feet 9 inches. All children
12 and under should ride in the back seat.
How to Use a
Booster Seat
There are different types of booster seats that you can purchase.
1. High-back,
belt-positioning booster seats: Among these (the kind that boost your
child up so the seat belt fits better), your choices are:
One that uses
a lap/shoulder belt and provides head and neck support for your child
if the vehicle seat back doesn't have a head restraint
One that converts
from a forward-facing toddler seat to a booster seat and comes equipped
with a harness. This type can be used as a forward-facing toddler
seat when your child is age 1 to age 4 and between 20 and 40 pounds.
When your child outgrows the toddler seat, remove the harness to use
the seat as a booster seat, with the vehicle's lap/shoulder belt.
When using the harness, the seats are attached using the vehicle seat
belt system and a top tether anchor, if the vehicle has one, or attached
with the LATCH system (for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children)
2. No-back, belt-positioning booster seats: These seats are used with
a lap/shoulder belt and are only for use in vehicles with built-in
head restraints.
Once you've decided
on a booster seat for your little one, here are a few safety tips
when using it:
Always use both
the lap and shoulder belt--never just a lap belt.
The shoulder
belt should never be placed behind a child's back or under the arm.
If you do, your child could be seriously injured in an accident.
Replace a booster
seat that has been in a crash--the seat might have defects that you
can't see.
Your
should know:
The
information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes
only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical
advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose
or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your
pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any
questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's
condition.
Rebornne Baby. American Baby
