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Safe
Kids, Buckle Up!
by Kara Zoller
Do you remember traveling in vehicles
when you were a child? Did your parents hold you on their lap?
Or if you sat next to them and they had to stop suddenly did their right
arm come out in an attempt to keep you from flying forward?
Sometimes we’re amazed that we lived to remember these things.
Fortunately we've come along way from this and today we know the
importance of using child safety seats. But statistics show that
we still need to make improvements.
Today, more
children die in motor vehicle crashes than from all childhood diseases
combined! Each year, approximately 115 passengers under the
age of 11 are killed or severely injured in motor vehicle crashes in
Minnesota. One hundred and fifteen . . . this is not just a
statistic or a number, it's children.
Car seat checkup clinics nationwide have
found that many parents need more information and assistance with using
car seats and safety belts. Misuse rates are
90%, that means that almost all seats are being used incorrectly!!!
Some common problems were: using the wrong child safety restraint for
the child's size, not installing the car seat tight enough, misusing
locking clips, and using car seats that were recalled or needed to be
replaced.
Here are some tips:
- The back seat is the safest place for
a child under 13 to ride in any vehicle. If your vehicle has a
passenger air bag, it is essential that they ride in the back.
Never put a baby (under 1 year old) in the front seat of a vehicle
with a passenger-side air bag.
- Read your vehicle owner's manual
and read the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions.
This one takes motivation, but I guarantee that you will probably
find something that you didn't know about your vehicle or safety
seat. To get a copy of any child safety seat instructions go
to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/resource/rlmanu.html.
- A safety seat that is more than
six years old should be replaced! Normal wear and tear may
cause the seat to not work as well as it did when it was new.
Also, newer seats have improved designs. In addition, safety
seats that have been involved in a crash should be discarded and
replaced immediately. Report the car seat on the insurance
claim to get it replaced.
- Everybody in the vehicle needs
to be properly restrained . . . including you, other adults and
older children. Anyone not restrained cannot only suffer
bodily injuries to themselves as a result of a crash, but they can
also hurt others in the vehicle by being thrown against them.
This also holds true for loose items in the vehicle. Keep
items such as umbrellas, ice scrapers, and groceries in the trunk or
cargo area.
- Make sure everyone who is transporting
children is doing it correctly and consistently. If you are a
grandparent; friend, relative or neighbor of parents with children;
or if you work with children; you can do your part by making sure
parents are well-informed about child restraint safety.
Perhaps share this information with them. It may save a
child's life.
To find a local Child Passenger Safety Advocate in your area click here http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/Contacts/index.cfm.
To find out if there is a Car Seat Checkup clinic in your area click
here http://www.safekids.org/buckleup/launch.html.
To get more information about car seats click here
http://www.aap.org/family/famshop.htm.
Kara Zoller, Certified Child Passenger
Safety Technician
2765zoll@co.sherburne.mn.us
Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions
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