Protecting children in car accidents
Ray Lahood, The Secretary for the US Department of Transportation announced plans urging US automakers to test its child safety seats. They are being asked by LaHood to recommend which child safety seats are the best at keeping children safe in each of its vehicles.
Regulators have studied side-impact tests for child safety seats but have not made them mandatory. According to Lahood, he would like automakers to crash test seats to determine which seat is best for which car.
The NHTSA provides guidlines for to help parents ensure the safety of their children in a car:
They are:
1. Until children are one year and they are at least 20lbs., their car seats should be placed in the back seat facing the rear of the car.
2. Child safety seats must continue to be placed in the back seat of the car, but facing foward, until the child reaches the age of four and weighs approximately 40lbs.
3. After reaching the 40lb weight limit, children should be placed in a booster safety seat
which ensures that they are seated high enough for proper seat belt fitting.
4. As long as the seatbelt fits properly, children around the age of eight and at least 57" tall, may be able to sit in the back seat without a booster.
