AAA: Car Seat Mistakes Could Endanger Kids

In Pennsylvania, more than half of children ages 4 through 7 who died in 2009 highway crashes were improperly restrained or not belted at all, even though the law requires booster seats for kids in that age group.

Kids under 4 are required by law to ride in a child safety seat in Pennsylvania, yet 23 percent of the under-4 children killed in car crashes in 2009 in the state were not in a seat, and in some cases, completely unrestrained, according to a secondary analysis of FARS (Federal Analysis Reporting System) crash data conducted by AAA.

National Child Passenger Safety Week is September 18-24 and AAA reminds parents to learn more about how to use car and booster seats correctly and to restrain their children on every trip.

Child Passenger Safety Week events are being held at various locations throughout the Philadelphia five-county region. One is scheduled for is Saturday, September 24 at Tyler Arboretum in Media, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Common Car Seat Mistakes Could Endanger Kids

AAA identifies common hazardous shortcuts and provides the following tips to ensure safer rides for parents’ most precious cargo:

“I’m only driving a mile from home, so my son doesn’t need to be secured in his car seat since it’s a short trip.”

Tip: You should buckle up properly on every trip – no matter the distance – since most crashes occur close to home.

“I’m picking up several kids after soccer practice and I’m going to put my 8-year-old daughter in the front seat so all of the children can fit into the car.”

Tip: All children under age 13 are safest when riding in the back seat and restrained in the appropriate child restraint system.

“We will be driving more people in our car than we have seatbelts. Since it’s a short trip, it’s not a big deal for someone to ride on another person’s lap.”

Tip: It’s never safe to ride on a person’s lap. Each passenger should be properly restrained on every trip.

Drivers potentially face tickets and fines for violating child safety restraint laws in Pennsylvania.  The maximum fine on the first offense is $100.  Under Pennsylvania’s child passenger safety law:

• Children under the age of 4 must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle.
• Children from age 4 up to age 8 must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat, NOT an adult lap belt alone.
• Children from age 8 up to age 18 must be in a seat belt.

With three out of four child safety seats not properly installed, consulting an expert can be critical to ensure that children are secured in the safest manner possible.  Get help through your local AAA club, from www.seatcheck.org or by calling 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243) (or call 1-800-CAR-BELT in Pennsylvania). For additional information on AAA’s child passenger safety resources for parents and caregivers, visit AAA.com/carseat.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released updated car seat recommendations for children through age 12:

• Children from birth to 12 months should always ride in a rear-facing car seat;

• Children between 1 and 3 years old should be kept in rear-facing car seats until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer;

• Children 4 to 7 years old should ride in forward-facing car seats with a harness until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer; and  

• Children 8 to 12 years old should ride in booster seats until they are big enough to fit in seat belts properly. The lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. And very importantly, children should still ride in the back seat because it is safer there.

In motor vehicle crashes, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for children younger than 1 and by 54 percent for children 1 to 4 in passenger cars, according to data collected by NHTSA. In 2009 alone, 754 children 12 or younger were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes while riding in passenger cars or light trucks. And among those who were fatally injured where restraint use was known, 42 percent were unrestrained.

Car Seat Buying Tips (NHTSA)

For a car seat to do its job, it has to be the right one for a child’s age and size. Car seats also must be installed properly to provide adequate protection, and they must be adjusted to fit the child securely.

• Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, and choose a seat that fits in your vehicle and use it every time.
• Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions; read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH systems; and check height and weight limits.
• To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
• Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.