Our son, Garrett, was small since the day he was born. I was always worried about the way he fit into his car seat and, when he was older, when he would be big enough that he would no longer require a booster. And I heard a few different answers from various people, which only furthererd my worry and doubts.
Car Seat Safety: What’s Correct?
Babies: Babies must be in a rear-facing child safety seat in a back seat for as long as possible – up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. The ’12 months and 20 pounds’ rule is considered the minimum size and age requirement for that change. Children ages 5-9 who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall and less than 80 to 100 pounds must be secured in a car seat or booster seat.
Preventing Heat Stroke and Death
Safety in and around cars, especially when it comes to children, is paramount for most parents. I have seen first-hand, although only once, a mother leaving her child in a car on a hot day to “just quickly run into the store.” When it comes to babies and younger children, their body temperature can quickly increase three to five times faster than an adult’s would, causing permanent injury or even death. Never leave any child in the car, not only to prevent injury and death, but kidnapping and accidental car movement by the child can also occur.
Trunk Entrapment
• Over 60% of backing up incidents involved a larger size vehicle. (truck, van, SUV)
• Tragically, in over 70% of these incidents, a parent or close relative is behind the wheel.
Parents can help prevent backover accidents by installing a rear back-up camera on each of their vehicles that are easy to install and simple to use.
These simple tips can help keep your kids safe, and possibly save their lives. You can also sign up for Allstate’s Good Hands Roadside service. Surprisingly, there are over 52 million households that pay annual fees for roadside assistance. But the average driver uses their service only once every three years. Use this service when you need a jump start, have a tire blow out, a lock out, run out of gas, or otherwise become stranded, and you’ll only pay for it as you use it. You can easily register by using the widget above, and happy traveling!
