I'm learning that there are two kinds of parents. There are those who stay informed on the latest recalls and recommendations along with those who hear from friends and make positive changes to keep their kids safe. And there are those who put their fingers in their ears and say "la la la la I can't hear you" to any new thing they hear.
I've seen this way too many times with car seats. Specifically keeping kids safe and safer thanks to new discoveries in car seats. Particularly when new car seat recommendations are given out.
We have to be open as parents. I've learned this. We have to listen to each other and not feel if someone has important information before you, then that means they are a better parent or that you shouldn't learn from others. Even if that parent is a newbie.
The good news is more parents are listening. And more are following the newest car seat rules ... but we should ALL be. The stats are eye-opening.
One year ago the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated the car seat recommendations to keep kids rear facing until 2 years old and older children between 8 and 12 years old should remain in boosters until 4 foot 9 inches tall.
AAA (American Automobile Association) reports that over 90 percent of parents with a child under 13 knew of the new guidelines and most were told by their pediatrician. Thirty-five percent changed the way their kids were secured in the car.
Still there were some discouraging details that emerged: One common response to why parents didn't keep their child rear facing until 2 (or heed the advice and change the under 2 child's seat to be rear facing after they had been forward facing) was that the child didn't want to rear face so they felt the recommendation was unnecessary.
This is about kids' safety. There are a lot of things my child doesn't want. My daughter doesn't like holding my hand when we cross the street, but this isn't up to her -- it's not negotiable. She must hold my hand in order to be safe. I feel the same should be the case with car seats. The benefits to keeping your child in a rear facing car seat are too great to ignore -- kids are five times less likely to be injured in a crash when they are properly secured in a rear facing seat. And if you need proof that taller kids can rear face, click at the end of this sentence for proof that older and taller kids can rear face.
The same "excuse" was given for boosters. Jill Ingrassia, managing director of AAA Government Relations and Traffic Safety Advocacy, says: “Seat belts are designed for adults and do not typically fit children until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall. Graduating a child from a booster seat too soon may result in injury, or even death, in the event of a crash.”
If just one parents reads this and makes their child safer in the car, then that is one more child safer in the car -- which is fantastic.
Check out our excellent car seat safety guide for more details. And certified child passenger safety technicians are available to help parents with their car seat installation through local AAA offices by visiting www.seatcheck.org or calling 866-SEATCHECK.
Did you know of the recommendations? Are you following them?
Image via Neeta Lind/Flickr
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Comments 31
My father and my then 5-year-old son were in a serious accident last fall. My dad's Jeep Cherokee stalled, then restarted, accelerating out-of-control with locked steering. They went up a large hill, hitting a small tree and guardrail, and flipped over. While on the roof they slid across the top of 3 parked cars, flipped right side up, and landed on 2 others, with the Jeep then bursting into flames. My son was properly buckled in with his booster seat, and the only "injury" he sustained was an abrasion on his neck from the seat belt. Needless to say, I standby and follow carseat/booster seat regulations!
I absolutely follow the car seat recommendation. I have had to smack down some people (figuratively, not literally) who have made poor choices when my child rides with them. My daughter's favorite aunt was driving around with her and we heard from her brother (my daughter's grandpa) that he had seen them driving around and my daughter was not in her car seat. When I confronted her about it, she apologized and said that my daughter had gotten out of her car seat and she was just too tired to fight with her. I made it very clear that her excuse was unacceptable and if I ever heard about her not properly restraining my daughter again, it would be the last time my daughter would ride with her ever again. There have been no such problems since, for which I am grateful. I really didn't want to have to forbid my daughter from seeing one of her most favorite people, but I would have. Because my daughter's safety is more important than anything else.
You know, I'm becoming more and more fed up with the 'articles' on this site. The site markets itself to be a hub of family information. I have yet to see an actual informational, news or fact based article. All it really seems to be is a group of uppity women ready to attack anyone who doesn't immediately do their bidding.
That said, when new guidelines (not MANDATE, not LAW, guidelines.) I made sure to call my son's pediatrician ASAP. He said that the safest place for a child of my son's age, weight and height (17mos, 25lbs, 32inches) was in his forward facing car seat in the middle of the car. Why? Because at that age, the inflicted harm that would do the most damage would be to the head and brain. The car seat is most stable when forward facing and in the mile of our Ford Escape, Jake is farthest from all points of impact.
I know it's easy for moms and dads to get worked up about every new study that comes out regarding our children. I also know how incredibly lucky my husband and I were to have one of the most acclaimed pediatricians in our state. However, I also know that none of us are helped, nurtured or encouraged in our parenting with fear mongerers such as yourselves leading this community.
So is it safe to also have a child rear-facing who screams at the top of their lungs while riding in the car? That was my experience with my daughter. She also got car-sick all the time and would throw up from sitting backwards. I turned her around at a year. Being a distracted driver with a screaming, puking child isn't exactly safe either.
My son was rear-facing until nearly 2, he didn't have the same issues.
Ashley, there are numerous studies done on how rear-facing is safer. Having the seat rear facing is better for those head/brain/neck injuries you are talking about. It's something like 25x safer to have your child rear facing. If you do not want your child rear facing, then yes the middle of your back seat is the safest.
Also, I have found many doctors who are not up to date on the car seat recommendations, so I tend to favor the AAP recommendations over theirs. Since yours is so acclaimed I am sure he knows his stuff ;)
BTW - I did not get a sense of fear mongoring in this article. Just simple facts.
Personally, I am becoming more and more fed up with parents getting all pissy over their choices when someone says something different. You choose not to rear face. Your choice. No need to get all defensive about it.
I follow the guidelines; however, where I live we are in the minority. Most kids who are under 12 and well under 4'9" in our community have long ago abandoned their car seats. My oldest is 8 and is the only child in his circle of friends to still use a booster. It makes going anywhere with his friends in our car impossible b/c we refuse to transport other people's children without proper seating. It makes for very uncomfortable passive/aggressive situations with their parents as well. I'm sure they think we are uptight, but we follow the laws in our state. Needless to say, my child's friends never ride with us and I don't feel comfortable with my kids riding with them even if I provide their seats.