My students in Health, Safety and Nutrition recently had Sue Spector from Dakota County come in for the Child Passenger Training. It’s such an informational training with critical information that I’d like to share some with you today. Hopefully it will heighten your awareness of the importance of child restraints.
Why is this so important anyway? Motor vehicle crashes remain as the leading cause of death in children AND 69% of those deaths and injuries could be PREVENTED with proper use of safety seats. Did you know that 90% of seats are installed improperly?
I want to tell you about some crash dynamics. To figure out the force of impact you multiply Weight X Speed. So a 40 lb. child X 40 mph = 1600 lbs. of force.
“But Mom!” Keep your child in a safety seat until they are 4’9″ or 8 years old. The backseat is the best seat in the house. Your child needs to stay in the backseat until they are 13 years old.
Carseat vs. No Carseat
Notice the child not in the safety seat…he flew all the way to the front of the car. IF he survives, he’ll have major injuries to his head and body.
5 Point Harness vs. Booster Seat
Notice the child in a 5 Point Harness stays securely in his safety seat while the child in the booster flies forward further.
Baby Riding in Lap
NEVER ride in a vehicle with an infant/child in your lap! It’s pure stupidity. With the force of the accident, the adult can’t possibly hold onto the child. Imagine also if there were an airbag in this car! An airbag deploys at a speed of 200mph.
Want to learn more about installing safety seats? Visit http://www.research.chop.edu/programs/carseat/. You can view videos about installing seats for each age level.
