RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Summer travel season is coming up, and Kaiser Permanente wants to make sure that families arrive safely at their destinations.
Bradley Jacoby, DO, chief of pediatrics at Kaiser Permanente Riverside, says, “This is a good time to take a refresher on car seat safety.” One of the leading causes of preventable injuries or death among toddlers is the “improper use of a child seat during a crash.”
According to Kaiser Permanente, “up to 70% of new parents are not properly securing their kids in a car seat.” Dr. Jacoby says, “Here in California, the law is rear-facing-only seats until 2 years old, or if the child is over 40 pounds or over 40 inches, then they’re allowed to switch direction” and face the front of the vehicle.
Current estimates of child restraint effectiveness indicate that child safety seats reduce the risk of injury by 71% to 82% and reduce the risk of death by 28% when compared with children of similar ages in seat belts.
Infants and toddlers have relatively large heads and several structural features of their neck and spine that place them at particularly high risk of head and spine injuries in motor vehicle crashes. “Rear-facing car seats provide optimal support to the head and spine in the event of a crash,” adds Dr. Jacoby.
When children using rear-facing-only seats reach the highest weight for their seat, they should continue to ride rear-facing in a convertible seat for as long as possible. Most currently available convertible seats can be used rear-facing to at least 40 pounds.
Car safety seats are most effective when used properly. Child passenger safety technicians can help you install your child’s seat correctly. If you have further questions, check in with your pediatrician.
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