Booster Seats Protect Children
Keywords: belt-positioning booster seats, vehicle safety, auto accident, Child safety
When a child outgrows or “graduates” from a child safety seat, they are not ready to just hop in the car, put on a safety belt, and go. Safety belts are designed for a 165-pound adult. There is an important transition to make ‘ using a “belt positioning” (not a “shield” style) booster seat that meets federal safety standards.
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. Booster seats are 60 percent more effective than seat belts alone.
With child passengers, lap belts ride up on the abdomen, and shoulder belts can cut across the face or neck. 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. Booster seats do this by raising a child to a height so that a lap and shoulder belt fit properly. The lap belt should ride low, below the hip bones and across the top of the thighs, not on the stomach, and the shoulder belt should cross the middle of the chest and shoulder or collarbone. 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. Some smaller children may need a booster seat until age ten or longer.
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.
LegalView.com is your source for everything legal. Visit legalview.com Visitors to LegalView.com can get help to find a construction accident lawyer, a mesothelioma attorney, and more. You can also get help to find an auto accident lawyer at crash.legalview.com.
Previous Articles Highlighter:
The Best Package Opener For Moving Supplies, Shipping Boxes, And Everyday Use (1)
For workers who handle heavy packages on a regular basis, these injuries are both especially inconvenient and especially hard to avoid. Without proper tools such as a safety knife, package-handlers - whether shipping and receiving or mail room workers or just ordinary folks - not only risk knife accidents (which can be deadly), but also Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), a kind of musculoskeletal disorder that results from overtaxing certain muscle groups by tensing them for excessive time periods, due to overuse or poor posture.
Parts Cleaner: Cleaning Complex Geometric Parts In Single Piece Flow (2)
Part is indexed to next fluid stage for corrosion protection if necessary. 6. Part is then indexed to the next stage where the part is vacuum dried. Here the part is engulfed with a rubber gasketed manifold that creates a vacuum that allows the mechanism to lower the boiling point of water so that all liquid is evaporated before the manifold is released.
Working Safely With Utility Knives And Box Cutters (3)
Blades can snap off unexpectedly. - Always use sharp blades. Dull blades are a safety hazard, requiring more force to make the cut, which can lead to tool slippage.
Guide To Human Resource Policy (4)
A percentage of 50-90 usual working hours is the time given for jobseekers of such kind. Applicants are entitled to be directly employed as part time basis or they are authorized by the company to work as such.
Basics Of Web Site Promotion (5)
There are several ways to do this: Search engine submission Linking to related websites Pay-Per-Click and Google Awards Articles Distribution Social marketing-Myspace, forums and blogging. Viral marketing with free gifts You will need to optimize your website by putting in a title tag and description tag.
Businesses Cannot Live Without Commercial Mortgage (6)
Having the financial commitment in place is usually a good indication of the new owners willingness and desire to see the loan through to completion. James Copper is a writer for www.any-loans.co.uk
Lucrative Online Business Ideas (7)
When you decide to plunge, you need to analyze all the effects related to the business. You should be very cautious of all your actions. If you are a person who decides to engage in an online business then you should make sure that you have a well-decided and charted plan of action before taking an initiative.
Information On Credit Card Debt Consolidation Services (8)
The one that a debt-struggling individual must look up to is a non profit credit-card-debt consolidation company. As we are aware of, interests in credit cards can hit as high as 14%- and higher.
Choosing The Right Tanning Lotion (9)
Tanning lotion is able to help you achieve a tanned look because it contains DHA. DHA is a special type of colorless sugar and it has the unique ability to interact with the dead skin cells in the epidermis layer of your skin.
Three Big Benefits Of Construction Project Management Software (10)
Project management software provides real-time costs that help you make profitable decisions on your jobs. The status of budgets, contracts, change orders and more are available with a click of the mouse for instant assessment.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Debt Consolidation Advise: What To Use And What To Lose (1)
This also makes it easier to keep track of exactly how much you have to pay with each installment. Now you need to find a lender who can give you the bad credit debt consolidation.
Airbags Can Save Lives (2)
Improved technology and education helped reduce airbag-related fatalities from 1996 to 2000 by more than 90 percent for children and by 60 percent for adults. Still, people suffer abrasions, hearing damage from the explosive deployment, head injuries, eye damage (while wearing glasses), and broken noses, fingers, hands or arms.
Boat Sales - Know The Basics (3)
This lessens the effort you need to take. Therefore, take advantage of the due season to sell your boat. A little on how one can sell a boat Knowing how to sell a boat basically means you have it all planned out to the very last detail.
6 Criteria To Help You Choose The Most Efficient Fishing Boat Trader (4)
It is not a very cheap venture to purchase a new fishing boat for your self. So don't leave any stones unturned in your search for the best trader on the scene.
Profitable Home Business Ideas You Can Start Now (5)
Another emerging business that you can set your attention on would be the window washer service. Although this may not appear to be your dream job, once your clients develop trust in you, you can easily expand your business and employ some extra help.
How To Use Power Tools Safely (6)
It's more than a hobby for him, it's his passion. And sometimes our passions get the best of us. Like that Saturday when Craig wanted to make one more cut near the end of a long day.
Boat Shoe Repairs - The Basics (7)
There is information about how you can yourself repair boat shoes. These are very helpful because you don't have to go out for help instead you can try by yourself as all the information can be gathered on just a click of the mouse.
Traveling With Your Jewelry Safely (8)
It is much better to be safe than flash around your expensive jewelry unnecessarily. If you are going to indulge in outdoor activities like sunbathing, swimming, or other like activities, do not wear good jewelry.
What Is A Mutual Fund? (9)
Just make sure you review the fee structure of the mutual fund you are interested in before you invest. Jim Pretin is the owner of www.forms4free.com, a service that helps programmers make an HTML form
Time To Vote Yes Or No On Motorcycle Protective Clothing (10)
Have you heard of steel toe shoes? Well that is not a bad ideal for when you are riding. In times past of material normally used for motorcycle protective clothing has been leather.