Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in children. You can protect your child by using child safety seats and booster seats. In fact, all children between 40 and 80 pounds and less than 4’9” tall should use a booster seat. A booster seat positions the adult-designed seat belt correctly and offers a child greater comfort and visibility in the vehicle.
However, parents often believe that when their child outgrows the forward-facing child safety seat, he or she can use a seat belt. If your child cannot sit with his or her back straight against the vehicle seat back with knees bent over the seat’s edge without slouching, your child must use a booster seat. Adult seat belts can be dangerous if the child is too small. The shoulder belt can cut across a child’s neck and the lap belt can ride up into the soft belly. In a crash, this can cause serious or even fatal injuries.
All children ages 12 and under should sit properly restrained in the back seat. When a child outgrows a front-facing child safety seat, use a booster seat until he or she can sit in the back seat with his or her knees over the seat’s edge.
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