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S A F E T Y F I R S T

Child Passenger Safety

Some of the newest buzzwords for parents and childcare providers are about child passenger safety. Terms like locking clips and tethers are fast becoming household words. The launch of the national campaign for tethers to be available on all car safety seats manufactured after September 1999 and the availability of tether anchor points in new vehicles has heightened awareness of child passenger safety.

Motor vehicle collisions continue to be the number one cause of death for children. According to data collected through the Safe Kids Buckle Up program, nearly 40 percent of children continue to ride completely unrestrained and 80 percent of those riding in car seats or other restraints are improperly restrained.

Massive educational efforts are being conducted at numerous locations around the nation. Efforts include standardized training for Child Passenger Safety (CPS) volunteers, increased offerings of Safe Kids Buckle Up events, the federal Center for Injury Prevention's Sesame Street Tour, and others. Daimler-Chrysler Corporation is beginning to offer car seat checks at selected dealerships nationwide.

In Alabama, there is a plan for the establishment of permanent Child Passenger Resource Centers by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), Alabama Dept. of Transportation (DOT), and Safe Kids. These centers will provide locations where caregivers can have all sorts of CPS issues addressed. Alabama Safe Kids, for example, has received funding for the first of five Child Passenger Resource Centers to be located at Children's Hospital in Birmingham, AL.

Many childcare programs use child passenger restraints when conducting field trips. Knowing how to properly use the restraints and where to obtain further safety information can help keep children traveling in your vehicles safer.

Here are some questions and answers regarding child passenger safety:

Q: When can an infant be moved to a forward-facing position?

A: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend that infants remain rear-facing (looking out the back window) until they reach at least 20 pounds and at least 12 months of age. That means a premature baby may be 18 months or older before reaching 20 pounds and should remain rear-facing until that time. The opposite also is true. A six-month-old who weighs 20 pounds needs to remain rear facing in an appropriate car seat for weight until reaching 12 months of age.

Q: If a car does not have an airbag, can a baby be placed in the front seat?

A: Air bag or no air bag, children always are safer in the back seat. Nearly 80 percent of automobile crashes involve the front portion of the car. Placing a baby in the front seat would place that baby closer to the crash forces. Placing a rear-facing infant in front of an air bag could be deadly.

Q: When can a child use a seat belt?

A: According to the law of physics, a child needs to be about 80 pounds and about 4' 5" tall to properly fit in an adult lap and shoulder belt. These children should be able to bend their knees over the end of the vehicle seat while still maintaining correct posture.

Q: How dangerous is an air bag to a child?

A: Very dangerous. Air bags have killed children. The safest place for children is the back seat and away from air bags. Never place an infant in front of an air bag even if properly restrained. Children 12 years and under should ride in the back seat.

Q: What is a locking clip and how is it inserted?

A: A locking clip is a metal "H" shaped clip that comes with most new car seats. This clip is important when securing a car seat in a lap/shoulder belt which has a sliding latch plate and a safety belt system that only engages during an emergency-braking situation.

Q: What is a tether and are they needed?

A: Tethers, a requirement for most new car seats as of September 1999, are additional restraining straps with a bolt attachment to the body of the vehicle. The main purpose of this device is to decrease the head movement of a child in a forward facing car seat in a crash. This additional restraint system is helpful but not presently required. Soon all new model vehicles will be required to provide a top tether slot.

Q: Is there a "best" car seat to buy?

A: The best car seat is the one that fits the child, the vehicle, and the family budget. There should be a label on the seat stating, "meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards." Experience has proven that the simpler seats with smaller bases are easier to install in most vehicles. Some car seats and vehicles simply are not compatible.

Q: Are car seats from garage sales and thrift stores okay to use if they are in good shape?

A: There is no way to know if a car seat is in "good shape" unless you know the crash history of that seat. Has it ever been involved in a crash where speeds exceeded more than 15 miles per hour? The only way to be sure is to buy a seat new or to know the previous owner to ask. In addition, by purchasing a new car seat and sending in the warranty card, you are added to a mailing list for recall from the factory should any defects be found.

Q: What if a car seat has been in involved in an automobile accident?

A: The safety belt in use during the collision and any child passenger safety seat in the vehicle need to be replaced. Safety belts and car seats can be damaged structurally with no apparent visual evidence. Many insurance companies will pay for the replacement.

Julie Cole, BSN, RN, CPN
CHECK Center (Comprehensive Health Education Center for Kids) and Birmingham Safe Kids Coordinator Children's Health System, Birmingham, AL

Resources

The National Safe Kids Campaign, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-1707; 202-662-0600; www.safekids.org

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Child Passenger Safety

Resources

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