If you had to venture a guess, what would you think is the No. 1 killer of children between the ages of 1 and 14? If you said car accidents, you’d be right according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The website CarSafety.org reports more than 57 percent of deaths of children from infancy to the age of 15 were because the child was unrestrained. Many more were because the children were improperly restrained.
So how do you know which car seat is appropriate for your child? Here are some car safety rules to follow from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Infants should ride rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer. At a minimum, children should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds.
Toddlers/preschool – It is best for children to ride rear-facing as long as possible to the highest weight and height allowed by the manufacturer of their convertible seat. When they have outgrown the seat rear-facing, they should use a forward-facing seat with a full harness as long as they fit.
School-aged children – Booster seats are for older children who have outgrown their forward-facing car safety seats. Children should stay in a booster seat until adult belts fit correctly (usually when a child reaches about 4 feet 9 inches in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age).
Older children – Children who have outgrown their booster seats should ride using a lap and shoulder seat belt in the back seat until 13 years of age.
Following these guidelines to make sure your child is properly restrained at all times is the best way to practice safety on the road.
