| An alarming figure from the National Safe Kids Campaign: As of December 1, 1998, 68 children have been
killed by passenger air bags. More than 20 percent of these deaths were among infants in
rear-facing child safety seats in front of a passenger air bag. An additional 70 percent
were either unrestrained or improperly restrained at the time of the crash.
DID YOU KNOW?
- In 1997, more than 282,000 children
ages 14 and under were injured as occupants in motor vehicle-related crashes. Children
ages 4 and under accounted for nearly 30 percent of these childhood motor vehicle occupant
injuries.
- Seventy-five percent of motor vehicle
crashes occur within 25 miles of home. In addition, 60 percent of crashes occur on roads
with posted speed limits of 40 mph or less.
- The back seat is the safest place for
children to ride. It is estimated that children ages 12 and under are 36 percent less
likely to die in a crash if seated in the rear seat of a passenger vehicle.
- Thanks to the National SAFE KIDS
Website for these statistics. Please visit them for more
|
Make sure your current car seat hasn't been
recalled!
Click
Here for a list of recalled seats.
Car Safety Question:
When can I move my child into a
booster seat?
Not until he has completely outgrown
his regular safety seat -- when he weighs more than 40 pounds or is too tall for it. He is
too tall if his shoulders are higher than the top set of harness slots or if the tips of
her ears are above the back of the safety seat. If he is too tall for his convertible seat
but still weighs less than 40 pounds, switch to a child-seat/booster. These seats are
slightly taller and can be used with the built-in harness for children up to 40 pounds and
later as a belt positioning booster, with lap AND shoulder belt, for children up to 60-100
pounds.
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FYI