Carrying Children Safely
Guest post by Edwin Miles
One of the most important jobs we parents have is ensuring the safety of our children. This is especially true in automobiles, where thousands of children are injured or die in car crashes every year. Having your child ride in a safety seat can make all the difference when it comes to surviving a wreck.
The type of safety seat your child needs depends on your kid’s age and size as well as your state laws. Although the laws vary according to state, all 50 states have car seat laws and 48 states have booster seat laws for children fitting specific criteria. Keep this in mind if you buy a used car, because older vehicles might not be set up properly for safety seats.
Infants and Toddlers
All infants and toddlers need to ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the age of 2 or reach the maximum height or weight recommended by the seat manufacturer. You can choose from convertible seats, rear-facing only seats and 3-in-1 seats.
The rear-facing only seats typically work for children until they reach a weight of between 22 and 25 pounds, depending on the safety seat model. Convertible seats can first be used as a rear-facing seat and then as a forward-facing seat once your child is older. They generally have a higher maximum weight and height limit, which makes these a better choice for larger babies. The 3-in-1 seats offer the most options. They can be used as a rear-facing seat, a forward-facing seat and then a booster seat.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Children over the age of 2 or younger but larger toddlers need to ride in a forward-facing car seat until they turn 4-years old or reach the maximum height or weight recommended by the safety seat’s manufacturer.
You can use a convertible seat, a 3-in-1 seat or a combination seat. The combination seats work as a forward-facing car seat for toddlers and preschoolers but convert to a booster seat for older kids. Some newer cars come with forward-facing seats already built in. The height and weight limits vary widely, so contact the carmaker or check the owner’s manual to find out more details.
School Aged Children
School aged children or bigger preschoolers who have outgrown forward-facing car seats are ready for a booster seat. State laws very greatly on booster seat use, but it’s a good rule of thumb to have your child use a booster seat until they are 8 to 12-years old or reach the height of 4’9″.
Booster seats come in backless and high-back styles. The high-back booster seats give added protection to your child’s head, neck and spine in cars with low seatbacks or no headrests. Backless booster seats are safer to use in cars with high seatbacks and headrests.
Older Children
Children taller than 4’9″ or older than the age of 12 are finally able to get by with the protection of just a seat belt. Make sure that your child always uses both the lap belts and the shoulder strap belts for maximum protection.
Safety seat laws change frequently. Check with your local safety agencies or law enforcement to determine your state’s current child restraint laws.
This article has been kindly contributed by Edwin Miles, financial and automotive expert who works at CarFinance247.co.uk, the UK’s leading car finance provider. For more information click here.
