Ensure child passenger safety with proper seat
Published: Jan/Feb 2001
All 50 states have passed mandatory child safety seat laws, but the trauma suffered by children riding unprotected in cars involved in crashes remains the major cause of death for children today, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
During National Child Passenger Safety Week, Feb. 11–17, AAA urges parents to make sure they have the proper safety seat for their child and that it is installed correctly. To locate a Child Passenger Safety Seat Fitting Station, call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236, or visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
The types of seats include:
- Infant-only seats: These seats are designed for babies weighing up to 22 pounds, generally from birth to 12 months of age. Infant seats should be installed to face the rear of the vehicle, and infants under 1 year of age must ride in a rear-facing position. Never install a rear-facing seat in the front of a car equipped with air bags.
- Convertible seats: These seats are designed for use by infants and toddlers. They can be used in a rear-facing position for infants up to 22 pounds or in the forward-facing position for toddlers up to 40 pounds and about 4 years of age.
- High-back belt-positioning booster: These seats offer the best protection for older children weighing 20 to 80 pounds. Booster seats should be used until the child properly fits lap and shoulder belts, when they are approximately 4 foot 5 inches in height and weigh at least 80 pounds.
