Hot Topic (10/20): Booster seats for all children until age 8?
Car Booster Seats Cut Injury Risk for Kids
Oct. 19, 2009 -- Booster seats with proper belt positioning significantly reduce the risk of injury in children aged 4 to 8 who are involved in traffic accidents, a new study shows.
The research reinforces previous studies that booster seats are important in preventing injuries and saving lives. It is published in the Oct. 19 issue of Pediatrics.
For the study, data were collected on 7,151 children involved in 6,591 car crashes in 15 states and Washington, D.C., between Dec. 1, 1998, and Nov. 30, 2007.
Among the findings:
- Children in belt-positioning booster seats were 45% less likely to sustain injuries than same-age kids in standard vehicle seats.
- Booster seats with and without backs provided similar risk for injury.
- Pediatricians should continue to recommend belt-positioning booster seats for youngsters who have outgrown a harness-based child-seat restraint until they are at least 8 years old, or 4 feet 9 inches tall.
- Laws should cover children through age 8 because research has linked passage of such statutes with an increase of nearly 40% in usage of protective restraints for children.
- Children in side impact crashes benefited most from booster seats, showing a reduction in injury risk of 68% for near-side impacts and 82% for far-side.
- Head injuries were the most prevalent among all hurt children, regardless of restraint type system. They accounted for 65% of injuries.
- Face and lower extremity injuries were the next most common of kids in booster seats, at 9% and 8% respectively. For injured children in seat belts, abdominal injuries and face injuries were the next most common (12% and 9%).
The lead author of the study was Kristy Arbogast, PhD, of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
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In light of these findings, should laws in every state require children to be in booster seats until age 8?
Did you (or do you) insist that your children ride in booster seats until age 8? Why or why not?
The law in Germany in 12 yrs OR 4'11".
My son will stay in his booster until he can pass the 5-step test and is AT LEAST 8. But at this rate he will be 10 before he is out of a booster.
He has seen pictures of what happens to a child (or adult) who doesn't fit properly in a seatbelt. It is called seatbelt syndrome and the seatbelt can damage soft tissue and worse.
So yes my son will be in a booster past 8 and yes I think it should be a law. Sadly until law enforcement is properly trained, these laws mean NOTHING.
The cops should be trained what to look for and not to take crap. If a family is breaking the law, they get fined. Plain and Simple.
There is a reason car wrecks are the number 1 killer of our kids. Laws should be put in place and enforced to change that.
I was about to say the same thing!
Quoting mommytwoboys:
The law in Germany in 12 yrs OR 4'11".
My son will stay in his booster until he can pass the 5-step test and is AT LEAST 8. But at this rate he will be 10 before he is out of a booster.
He has seen pictures of what happens to a child (or adult) who doesn't fit properly in a seatbelt. It is called seatbelt syndrome and the seatbelt can damage soft tissue and worse.
So yes my son will be in a booster past 8 and yes I think it should be a law. Sadly until law enforcement is properly trained, these laws mean NOTHING.
The cops should be trained what to look for and not to take crap. If a family is breaking the law, they get fined. Plain and Simple.
There is a reason car wrecks are the number 1 killer of our kids. Laws should be put in place and enforced to change that.
This law just took affect in my state, but I planned to exceed the legal minimum anyways. My 19 month old will remain rear facing to the limits of his current seats, and if another seat comes on the US market that can keep him RF longer, we will get that. After he has to switch to forward facing, my son will remained harnessed as long as possible, then move to a booster if needed. I will do whatever I reasonably can to protect my son from the leading killer of children in the US.
In light of these findings, should laws in every state require children to be in booster seats until age 8? Yes, the laws should evolve with our knowledge. And we know that boosters are safer for kids that age!!
Did you (or do you) insist that your children ride in booster seats until age 8? Why or why not? Absolutely. My daughter turned 8 in August and still rides in a booster 100% of the time. She is only 54 lbs, so she will remain in the booster for a few more years, barring some gigantic growth spurt :)
Yes all states should do the age 8 thing because the "magic" number of 4'9 is not always the safest, my son just turned 7 yesterday (and I turned 27) and he is STILL in a booster even though he is almost as tall as I am ( im 4,9) I will keep him in the booster until he meets weight resrtrictions. ( he is tall skinny kid LOL) but thats just MHO
It would be great if the police officers would set a good example for the average citizen. I can't believe how frequently I see police cars pull up even with me on the Interstate and they have a small child (probably their own) sitting in the front seat with just the shouler belt on.
The way my luck runs, if I were to simply buckle my kids in, I'd be tossed into jail and the key thrown away. It's such a shame that they feel that because of their badge and/or uniform that they are above the law.
Quoting mommytwoboys:
The law in Germany in 12 yrs OR 4'11".
My son will stay in his booster until he can pass the 5-step test and is AT LEAST 8. But at this rate he will be 10 before he is out of a booster.
He has seen pictures of what happens to a child (or adult) who doesn't fit properly in a seatbelt. It is called seatbelt syndrome and the seatbelt can damage soft tissue and worse.
So yes my son will be in a booster past 8 and yes I think it should be a law. Sadly until law enforcement is properly trained, these laws mean NOTHING.
The cops should be trained what to look for and not to take crap. If a family is breaking the law, they get fined. Plain and Simple.
There is a reason car wrecks are the number 1 killer of our kids. Laws should be put in place and enforced to change that.
I agree one million percent
Quoting f-dill:
It would be great if the police officers would set a good example for the average citizen. I can't believe how frequently I see police cars pull up even with me on the Interstate and they have a small child (probably their own) sitting in the front seat with just the shouler belt on.
The way my luck runs, if I were to simply buckle my kids in, I'd be tossed into jail and the key thrown away. It's such a shame that they feel that because of their badge and/or uniform that they are above the law.
Quoting mommytwoboys:
The law in Germany in 12 yrs OR 4'11".
My son will stay in his booster until he can pass the 5-step test and is AT LEAST 8. But at this rate he will be 10 before he is out of a booster.
He has seen pictures of what happens to a child (or adult) who doesn't fit properly in a seatbelt. It is called seatbelt syndrome and the seatbelt can damage soft tissue and worse.
So yes my son will be in a booster past 8 and yes I think it should be a law. Sadly until law enforcement is properly trained, these laws mean NOTHING.
The cops should be trained what to look for and not to take crap. If a family is breaking the law, they get fined. Plain and Simple.
There is a reason car wrecks are the number 1 killer of our kids. Laws should be put in place and enforced to change that.
My kids will be in one until they pass the 5 step test. My DS, however, is 6.5 and still harnessed, his choice. My 3.5 year old just got turned FF a few weeks ago.
Proud mom of Dylan, 6 years old, EH'd in a Britax Regent and Trinity, 3 years old, FF in a Britax Marathon. RF for 3years9months
Will be a CPST Nov 14,2009
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on Oct. 20, 2009 at 1:53 AM