The move from car seats to seat belts can be unsettling for parents who want to keep their children safe. Kids can move out of car seats when they are 4 feet 9 inches tall and between 8 and 12 years old, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They should always use a seat belt and sit in the rear seat for the best protection. When kids move out of a booster seat to use a seat belt exclusively, it's important to make sure they're using the belt correctly. The American Academy of Pediatrics provides guidelines for this:
• A child should be tall enough to sit without slouching with his back against the vehicle seat.
•The knees should be naturally bent over
the car's seat with the feet hanging down or flat on the floor.
• The seat belt's lap portion should sit snugly across the child's hips - not the belly.
• The shoulder belt should lie across the child's chest and shoulder - not the neck or face.
That's not all. Never allow a child to tuck the shoulder belt under his arm or behind his neck. While some seat belts have built-in height adjusters, do not use aftermarket adjusters. The back seat's center seat is still the safest position, and kids like it because they can see out the front.
Safety experts agree that kids should ride in the back seat until age 13, and some even advocate children staying back there until they're of driving age. That's because the force from deployed front-impact airbags can injure or kill young children. While many vehicles have sensors to turn off the airbag if the passenger weighs less than 80 pounds, it's ideal to keep the kids in the rear seats.
But what if your child meets all the criteria and you can't put off the move to the front seat? Like anywhere else in the vehicle, make sure the seat belt is used properly every time. Also, move the front passenger seat as far away from the airbag as possible, which may reduce injury related to the airbag's deployment in a collision. I'd also add that this isn't the time to relax your own good driving habits. These kids are going to be driving soon (in a blink of the eye), so be sure you're still being a good role model.
Going through this transition out of safety seats and into seat belts and eventually the front seat is another one of those reminders that kids grow fast. Soon, the next phase will be providing your child with valuable teen driving tips, but that will be a subject for another day.
If you or someone you care about has been injured in automobile accident it would be beneficial to consult an experienced attorney in order to answer your questions and understand your legal options including getting advice about paying for your medical bills and other damages you or a loved one may have suffered. As always, my office is available at all times to answer your questions and provide a free telephone or in person consultation. Remember, please always drive safely!!
Attorney Joseph F. De Leo is a lawyer with over twenty-eight years experience handling personal injury claims serving the entire greater Boston area. He can be reached at jdeleo@deleolaw.com or by visiting deleolaw.com
• A child should be tall enough to sit without slouching with his back against the vehicle seat.
•The knees should be naturally bent over
the car's seat with the feet hanging down or flat on the floor.
• The seat belt's lap portion should sit snugly across the child's hips - not the belly.
• The shoulder belt should lie across the child's chest and shoulder - not the neck or face.
That's not all. Never allow a child to tuck the shoulder belt under his arm or behind his neck. While some seat belts have built-in height adjusters, do not use aftermarket adjusters. The back seat's center seat is still the safest position, and kids like it because they can see out the front.
Safety experts agree that kids should ride in the back seat until age 13, and some even advocate children staying back there until they're of driving age. That's because the force from deployed front-impact airbags can injure or kill young children. While many vehicles have sensors to turn off the airbag if the passenger weighs less than 80 pounds, it's ideal to keep the kids in the rear seats.
But what if your child meets all the criteria and you can't put off the move to the front seat? Like anywhere else in the vehicle, make sure the seat belt is used properly every time. Also, move the front passenger seat as far away from the airbag as possible, which may reduce injury related to the airbag's deployment in a collision. I'd also add that this isn't the time to relax your own good driving habits. These kids are going to be driving soon (in a blink of the eye), so be sure you're still being a good role model.
Going through this transition out of safety seats and into seat belts and eventually the front seat is another one of those reminders that kids grow fast. Soon, the next phase will be providing your child with valuable teen driving tips, but that will be a subject for another day.
If you or someone you care about has been injured in automobile accident it would be beneficial to consult an experienced attorney in order to answer your questions and understand your legal options including getting advice about paying for your medical bills and other damages you or a loved one may have suffered. As always, my office is available at all times to answer your questions and provide a free telephone or in person consultation. Remember, please always drive safely!!
Attorney Joseph F. De Leo is a lawyer with over twenty-eight years experience handling personal injury claims serving the entire greater Boston area. He can be reached at jdeleo@deleolaw.com or by visiting deleolaw.com
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