Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
September 14 kicks off the first day of Child Passenger Safety week and experts are once again reminding parents to make sure their child car seat is installed correctly.
Experts believe some parents are letting their children use a regular safety belt too soon.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts should lie across the upper thighs and be snug across the shoulder and chest to restrain your child safely in a crash. It should not rest on the stomach area or across the neck or face.
Children who have outgrown their car seat by weight or height should use a booster seat until they reach 4 feet 9 inches tall, according to the NHTSA. The use of booster seats can also reduce injuries by 45 percent compared to using an adult safety belt alone.
They recommend keeping all children in the back seat until age 13.
Some other basic rules to follow are listed below:
- Make sure the car seat is properly installed
- Make sure the child is securely fastened
- Make sure the buckle is at armpit level
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles requires that every driver on Florida roads use a car seat that is crash-tested and federally approved for any child 5 years old or under. According to the NHTSA, when properly restrained, infants have a 71 percent greater chance of surviving a car crash and toddlers have a 54 percent decrease in the risk of death.
Our Florida Auto Accident Injury Lawyer at Whittel & Melton encourage all Florida drivers to buckle up. We urge parents and caregivers to take extra care in buckling up little ones. Using a proper child safety seat is one of the most important steps you can take for keeping your child safe.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Florida car accident due another driver’s negligence or carelessness, please call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.