You’re running late. Your arms are full. It will only be a short drive. Your toddler is whining, and doesn’t want to climb into the booster seat.
Sound familiar? If you’re a parent, my guess is “yes”! And if you occasionally give in, you’re not alone: Findings released by Safe Kids Worldwide in time for National Child Passenger Safety Week reveal that many of us admit to bending the rules on car safety (one in five parents), getting rid of carseats and boosters far too soon (nine out of ten parents), or failing to buckle kids in at all (one in four parents).
But the most frightening news: Seven out of 10 parents are completely unaware that any child under 57 inches (that’s 4 feet, 9 inches) and 80-100 pounds should use a booster seat in a moving vehicles.
You might be thinking, Keep my kid in a booster seat until second or third grade – or even longer? If it seems odd, it’s only because too few of us are doing it – and are jeopardizing our little ones’ safety as a result. So spread the word to other parents, reminding them that booster seat use means their child is 45% less likely to be injured in the event of an accident. And keep a few things in mind the next time you head out to your vehicle:
Buckle up you and your child, every ride, in the right seat.
Check that a car seat is installed properly. A checklist can be found here.
Learn more about car seat safety at safekids.org.
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