Child Passenger Safety:
Safety Seats and Boosters

In California, automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for children 4-16 years old. When properly used, child safety seats are effective in saving children's lives in a crash. But a survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that nearly 73% of child restraints are misused.

 

Children must ride properly buckled up in safety seats or boosters until they are at least six years old OR weigh at least 60 pounds. Children are also required to ride in the back seat until they are at least six years old or weigh at least 60 pounds. A child's risk of injury is reduced by 33% when moved from the front to the back seat.

 

There are several exceptions to the back seat rule: Your child may ride in the front if your vehicle has no rear seats, or if a child restraint system cannot properly be installed in the rear seat. Never place a child in a safety seat or booster seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with a passenger air bag. Other exceptions include back seats that are rear-facing or side-facing jump seats. Child safety seats must never be placed in side-facing vehicle seats.

 

Booster Seats:

Children under six years old may ride in a safety belt -- properly used -- if they weigh more than 60 lbs. However, standard safety belts in cars do not fit most children properly until they are eight to ten years old. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends using a belt-positioning booster seat when children outgrow infant and toddler safety seats. To determine if your child should be in a booster seat, follow these steps:

 

The 5-Step Test

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answered no to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to ride safely in a vehicle. Kids like boosters because they are more comfortable, too.