X

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IN CARS

Keeping children safe in cars is a top priority because as we all know, babies are truly a gift!  Apparently, they are a gift that you cannot return, unless you have kept the receipt and haven’t removed the tags. When I had my baby, the hospital personnel would not allow me to take my baby home, unless I had an appropriate car seat. They informed me that they would actually “give” me a car seat if I didn’t have one. Safety first…or perhaps they just didn’t want me to leave my screaming baby there.

So what are the current laws regarding car seats for children and child car safety?  There are apparently four (4) phases, according to their age and weight, and sometimes their height.

According to the Child Safety National Best Practice Recommendations:

Phase 1 – REAR FACING SEATS:

Infants: Birth – 35+ pounds and 2+ years old. Rear-facing infant or rear-facing convertible safety seat for as long as possible, up to the rear-facing height or weight limit of the seat. Properly install according to instructions in owner’s manual, rear-facing in the back seat.

Phase 2 – FORWARD FACING SEATS:

When children outgrow the rear-facing safety seat (minimum 2+ years), they should ride in a forward-facing safety seat for as long as possible, up to the upper height or weight limit (40 – 80+ pounds) of the harnesses. Usually 4+ years old. Properly installed forward-facing in the back seat. NEVER turn forward-facing before child meets all: AGE/HEIGHT/WEIGHT requirements set by the safety seat manufacturer for forward-facing seats.

Phase 3 – BOOSTER SEATS:

After age 4, 40+ pounds and behavior maturity*, children can ride in a booster seat with the adult lap and shoulder belt, until the adult safety belt will fit them properly (usually when the child is 10 – 12 years old). You MUST have a lap/shoulder belt to use a booster seat.  

*Behavior maturity required according to booster seat owner’s manual

Phase 4 – ADULT SAFETY BELT:

Once children outgrow their booster seat (usually at 10 – 12 years old) they can use the adult lap/shoulder safety belt, if it fits them properly.

The lap portion should fit low over the hips/tops of thighs and the shoulder belt crosses the center of the shoulder and center of the chest.

Although these are the laws (in most states…some state laws may slightly vary), the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) advises that you do not allow a child to ride in the front seat of the car until 15 years of age, since their bones are still forming and it is clearly safer to keep them in the back seat, secured, for as long as possible. My daughter rode in the back seat of the car until she was 17!! (not for safety sake…she just didn’t want to be seen with me).

If you have a child or care for someone else’s child(ren), there is some excellent information at CPSBoard.org (National Child Passenger Safety Board) and at http://www.safercar.gov/parents.

Until next week…keep that precious gift as safe as possible!

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Keeping Children Safe in Cars – Comedy Defensive Driving

Daun Thompson: Daun Thompson has spent years acting in both film and theatre which has been paramount in launching her onto the comedy stage (incidentally, without a helmet, resulting in a nasty concussion). Being a funny girl is a full time job. A job that she hopes that one day will come with dental benefits and a 401K. Unlike her work, she is biodegradable, yet flame retardant. And gentle to the touch. Her goal in life??? For strangers to approach her and ask "Didn't you used to be somebody?" In the late 1980's she cut her teeth at the Velveeta Room on 6th Street in Austin, Texas ... the original room with the stripper pole. From there, she moved to northern California and worked with many comedy icons, like Mitch Hedberg, Marc Maron, Colin Quinn, Vic Dunlop, Huck Flyn, Michael Mancini, Doug Ferrari, Shang and Brian Posehn. Daun has been a licensed driver safety instructor and trainer with Comedy Defensive Driving for over 9 years. Her knowledge of driving safety laws keeps her readers informed and engaged with her blog adventures. She still continues to do stand-up comedy, sometimes in a reclining position...just to be different.