Really, I would feel guilty if I DIDN'T share this information with you. You have the right to have this information so that you can make an informed decision as a parent, rather than be pushed into something you don't want to do because the law says you have to. I would really feel heartbroken to hear of a family who had a child seriously hurt or killed in a car accident because they didn't know to use a booster seat. Even though they thought that they were doing their best to protect their child when they buckled them in just the seat belt. Unfortunately this type of situation happens all the time.
Let my start by a quote from C. Everett Koop, M.D., Sc.D., former US Surgeon General:
"If a disease were killing our children at the rate unintentional injuries are, the public would be outraged and demanded that this killer be stopped."
Motor vehicle crashes ARE THE #1 KILLER OF KIDS IN AMERICA!
Your child is more likely to die from being in a car crash than from anything else. That's really scary to me. What if this was a disease? What if the flu was the number one killer of kids in America? Wouldn't parents demand that doctors and hospitals give them a vaccine or medicine to lessen the risk? What if there was a medicine that would reduce a child's risk of dying by 60% if they caught the flu? Wouldn't parents do almost anything to give their child that medicine?
This is what's going on today, but instead of killer flu, it's car crashes. And there is way to prevent most of these fatalities. And you can get it for $20 or less. It's called a booster seat.
The other scary statistic is that fatalities are just a tip of the iceberg. Many more injuries occur than deaths every year. Some of the injuries have life-long effects and can be very costly. Most of these too can be prevented with the proper use of a booster seat.
Seat belts are made for adult bodies. All that a booster seat does is sits a child up higher so that the seat belt fits them properly.
I think the best way to get the message across is by video. CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) has fantastic research when it comes to injury and prevention. They have a website that's all about keeping kids safe during crashes as well as their own YouTube channel. I trust and value CHOP's research.
Here is the a video made from CHOP. Sorry, I completely left it out of my original post.
This video is a simulation of a 6-year-old child properly restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat in a 35 mph frontal impact crash versus the same child improperly restrained in an adult seat belt. The movement of the child in the booster seat is thrown forward in the same crash. The inappropriate fit of the seat belt puts the child at risk of sever head, spine, and abdominal injury.
This video is a crash test of a 6-year-old dummy weighing 48lbs wearing just a lap belt.
As you can see, seat belts are meant for adults. When can a child fit properly in a seat belt alone? Each car is different, but a child should be able to pass the five step test (adapted from The Car Seat Lady):
Kids who can answer “yes” to all 5 questions can ride safely without a booster (most kids are close to 5 feet tall before they pass).
For kids who still need a booster to ride safely, make sure you can answer “yes” to questions #3-5 with the child sitting in the booster (if you can’t, try a different booster).
The 5-Step Test ©SafetyBeltSafe USA
- Does the child easily sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm (not touching the neck)?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs (not across the stomach)?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? (For squirmy kids, try switching the seatbelt into the locking mode – click here for more info)
If you answer “no” to any of these questions, your child STILL needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right and to keep them safest.
Common questions and concerns:
1. Car seats are for babies and there's no way my son would go back to using a booster!
Car seats are for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Booster seats are for older children. Children's attitudes reflect their parent's. When a parent truly understands the safety reasons behind using a booster, that can be taught to the child. Most parents who lovingly convey this message of safety generally find cooperative children. You are the adult and set the rules. Sorry, but when it comes to safety, there's just no compromising.
2. Why should a child be at least four to be in a booster?
The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends that a child should stay in a five-point harness until they outgrow it by according the manufacturer's guidelines. This is also a rule that I agree with. For some (like my own child), this may not be until five or six years old. A car seat (unlike a booster seat) is designed to protect your child in a crash. You will see that a car seat offers full body protection, unlike many booster seats. A booster seat just sits the child up higher so that the seat belt is correctly placed. It is the seat belt that protects the child in a crash. When using a car seat, the force of the crash is spread out all over the body, to the strongest parts of the body. A booster seat had a few contact points, but it would take an older and stronger body to withstand this force. A child who is over the age of four has stronger bones and muscles than younger children. A younger child in a booster seat might not be able to withstand the crash or could even be ejected from the booster seat. Watch this video to demonstrate the difference between using a booster seat and a five-point harness:
3. I am 40 years old and am 4'9", shouldn't I still ride in a booster seat?
I see this snappy comment from parents all the time. Obviously an adult's body is much stronger than a child's body. And an adult can make a conscious decision to use a seat belt properly. Also, a child may be 4'9" and still need to use a booster seat. It all depends on the car, how they fit, age, and development level.
4. What if I'm not sure if my child needs a booster seat?
You can contact a CPST (certified child passenger safety technician) for assistance. Go HERE to find an inspection station. Most children's hospitals have inspection stations or CPST's that can help you.
I hope I helped you understand the main points. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions or concerns!
One last thought. If you knew you were going to get it a car accident today what would you do differently (besides staying home!)?
4 comments:
Fabulous information! My 10 year old still goes willingly into her booster seat and will likely need to until she is 12+. She understands why, so she doesn't complain. You are dead on!
Thanks for being an example! I just want parents to know what they are really risking. Hmmm, maybe that should have been my title.
Thanks Jefra! This is amazing information.
I love that you are my update to the carseat world. I am usually going to the pediatrian telling them what you've told me. :) Way to go and thanks for the information.
On a side note, I felt like such a dork once I realized I was putting clay in his carseat wrong when he was a baby. I didn't think it was rocket science and I knew some pointers. Duh, read the manual. Now I preach to new moms and give them the pointers I didn't know.
When we left the hospital with Clay, after he was born, we were almost rearended at the first stop light we were at. It's scarey out there.
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