Many Nebraska drivers may worry about getting into a car accident, but the thought of a collision may be worse if people have their children in the backseat. It is important for parents to know how they can keep their children safe in the car.
One important way parents can protect their children is by using the right car seat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that parents should make sure their infants sit in rear-facing safety seats. Many people may put toddlers in front-facing seats; however, it is a good idea to keep toddlers in a rear-facing seat until they have outgrown it. Additionally, children should usually sit in a front-facing safety seat until they are five years old. Once a child no longer fits a car seat, many parents may think their child can ride in the car without a safety seat. However, seat belts may not always fit young children properly, so it is a good idea to use a booster seat until kids are tall enough for the seat belt to fit correctly. Once children no longer need a booster seat, it is important to make sure they always buckle their seat belts.
It is important for parents to take these safety precautions because studies show that booster seats and car seats can help protect children in an accident. It is 45% less likely that children between the ages of 4 and 8 will receive a severe injury in a collision when they sit in a booster seat. Additionally, the 2017 statistics show that 325 children below the age of 4 survived a crash because they sat in a safety seat.
Many parents may think their child can sit in the front seat once he or she no longer needs a booster seat. According to SafeRide4Kids.com, children should usually sit in the back seat until they are 13 years old. This is because the passenger side airbag might injure a child if it hits him or her in the head or chest during a collision. Additionally, when car accidents happen, it is usually the front of a vehicle that takes most of the impact. Because of this, it is less likely that people will get hurt when they sit in the back.
