Child safety seats save lives

Diana Doherty

Guest Column

Too often we have heard about situations in which a parent is killed in a car accident that leaves a child unharmed, thanks to the fact that the child was in a safety seat.

Unfortunately, many adults still do not place their children in safety seats, or they place them in safety seats that are not installed correctly or are not appropriate for the child’s age and size.

In January, Middlesex County SAFE KIDS and the Level One Trauma Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, will urge parents and caregivers to make a New Year’s resolution that could save a child’s life: Select, and learn to use, the correct child safety seat every time a child travels in a vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that an infant’s chance of dying in an automobile accident is reduced by 71 percent when in a correctly installed child safety seat. For children ages 1-4, that number is 54 percent.

Child safety seats save lives. They are also required by law. It’s critical, therefore, that parents understand the importance of using the right safety seats at all times, even when just going around the block.

Children should be in rear-facing safety seats until they are at least 12 months old and weigh at least 20 pounds. Youngsters older than 12 months and weighing 20-40 pounds should be in forward-facing safety seats. And children weighing more than 40 pounds should ride in belt-positioning booster seats until the adult seat belt fits correctly, usually at about age 8 and 80 pounds.

Once a child weighs more than 80 pounds, he or she should wear a vehicle’s safety belt. A correctly fitting seat belt should lay tightly across the bony areas of the lower hips/upper thighs and the chest and collarbone. The child’s back should be straight against the seat, with knees bent over the edge and feet flat on the floor.

It’s also important for parents to choose a seat that is right for the vehicle and the child. Safety seats should fit the child’s weight, height, age and development levels. All vehicles are not made for all safety seats, so make sure the seat fits in the vehicle and does not move more than 1 inch once it’s installed. Different seats have different features and designs. Parents should choose one that is easy to adjust and comfortable for the child to sit in.

Family health fairs and safety events may be helpful for new parents or parents who are unsure of how a car seat should be installed or what is right for their child based on the child’s age and size because these events often include car seat safety demonstrations.

Parents are encouraged to call a certified car seat safety technician to make an appointment to have their installed car seat checked. Police departments are a good place to start because many have certified technicians on staff.

It may take several hours over several days to choose a child safety seat and make sure it is correctly installed, but it’s worth it because it only takes an instant to lose a life.

Diana Doherty is injury prevention coordinator at the Level One Trauma Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, and coordinator of Middlesex County SAFE KIDS