Car Safety

Car accidents can be deadly, not only to adults, but to children as well. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every 14 seconds, someone in America is injured in a traffic crash. Every 13 minutes, someone is killed in a crash. Every year, more than 3,000 children ages 4 to 8 are killed in car crashes. In fact, accidents claim the lives of more children than any single disease. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are especially dangerous for children. Even a minor crash can hurt a child's body, so anyone riding in a vehicle with a child needs to take precautions.

NHTSA says the best place for a child to ride is in the back seat. This is particularly true if the vehicle has a front passenger side air bag, which can open with enough force to injure a child who is sitting up front. It's also essential that children be properly restrained, with a child safety seat, a booster seat, or with a properly fitted lap/shoulder belt, depending on their age and size.

Infant car seats

Don't travel with your baby without the proper safety seat. From the moment you take your baby home from the hospital, make sure he or she is in a child seat that is approved and meets all safety specifications. Make sure it is installed correctly. If you aren't positive, have the personnel at the hospital give you a hand.

If your baby has a low birth weight, there are other considerations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) points out that most safety seats are designed for infants over 7 pounds. AAP also says children that small may have other medical issues such as respiratory problems (Read about "Respiratory System") that make regular child carriers, which hold the infant upright, inappropriate. Discuss the issue with your doctor.

Under no circumstances should a baby ride in your lap. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that over 50 percent of the children killed in highway accidents were unrestrained at the time. The belts and the normal seats of the car are not designed to stop a baby in case of a crash. In addition, if your baby is in the front seat, it's more likely that he or she will suffer injuries in an accident, and if an air bag inflates, a child can be hurt very badly.

NHTSA says car seats for children younger than a year of age or smaller than 20 pounds should be positioned facing the rear of the car, since this can help avoid neck or spine injury in the event of a sudden stop and/or impact. According to NHTSA, harness straps should be at or below the infant's shoulders, and the harness straps should fit snugly. The seat itself must also be securely locked in place. The preferred location is in the back seat. Infants with special health or monitoring needs may require another adult in the car to ride in the back seat beside them.

According to NHTSA, if your child weights between 20 to 40 lbs and is between the ages of 1 and 4:

• They should always be in a safety seat, in the back seat of the car.
• Put the safety belt through the correct belt path.
• Pull the seat forward and side-to-side to check for a snug fit.
• Adjust the straps correctly.

NHTSA says car seats for children older than a year of age may be able to face the front, but should still be placed in the back seat, with the seat securely anchored in place. NHTSA says it's essential that parents read the child seat use and installation instruction manual. They should also read their vehicle's owner's manual for seat belt and child seat installation instructions. In addition, parents should send in their safety seat's registration card and stay aware of any recall notices that affect their model.

Child safety seats have proven to be more than 70 percent effective in preventing deaths and serious injuries. But, to get all of the benefits these safety seats offer, the child restraints must be used properly. Therefore, learn to correctly install a safety seat in the rear seat of the car, and use it whenever traveling with your baby. Parents should take advantage of special safety seat check-ups that may be held in their community. You can also check with your local hospital for classes that can give you hands-on instruction in the right way to use a car seat.

Booster seats

Children too big for a car seat, but too small to be securely restrained by lap/shoulder belts, should use a booster seat. NHTSA says booster seats should be used until the child can sit with his or her back against the vehicle seat back cushion, knees bent over the seat cushion edge, and feet on the floor. In general, NHTSA says booster seats are appropriate for children weighing between 40 and 80 lbs, between 4 to 8 years of age, and at least 35 inches tall. Parents should read the instructions that come with the booster seat to make sure they have chosen the most appropriate style, and make sure they are using the seat correctly.

Seat belts

As children get older, it's important to remember that they tend to mimic the behavior of those around them. Therefore, parents should always set a good example by using seat belts correctly themselves, and by emphasizing safe driving practices at all times. (Read more on teenagers and driving accidents in "Teen Health Risks")

Here's why lap/shoulder seatbelts are so important according to the NHTSA.

• One tenth of a second after a crash, the car stops. Without a seatbelt, you slam into something, usually the car's interior. As soon as you stop, something else happens inside you; your internal organs collide with other organs and skeletal systems. Holding you in your seat with a safety belt allows you to stop as the car is stopping, thereby enabling you to "ride-down" the crash.
• During a crash, safety belts spread the crash over larger and stronger parts of the body such as the chest, hips and shoulders. Additionally, the safety belt actually stretches slightly to slow you down. The head, face and chest are also less likely to strike the steering wheel, windshield, dashboard or the car's interior frame.
• When you wear a seatbelt, you don't get thrown into someone else or thrown out of the car.

Properly used, safety seats, booster seats and seatbelts can reduce the risk of death or injury during a vehicle accident. A healthcare/safety professional can provide more information on correctly choosing and maintaining these safety devices to offer the greatest protection.