Aug 21, 2014 4 min read

Accidental injuries are the most common cause of death in children age 1-24, with the most frequent cause being motor vehicle accidents. Choosing the proper car seat or booster seat for your child and understanding the proper method of restraining a child passenger is one of the most important steps in preventing many of these accidental injuries.

Recent studies have revealed that only 1 in 5 children are appropriately restrained in car seats and booster seats during transportation, with four in five children restrained in damaged, poorly installed or improperly sized car seats. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that more than 618,000 children under the age of 12 were passengers in vehicles without the use of a proper car seat or seat belt. A 2011 injury report from the CDC also reports that 148,000 children were injured as passengers, while 650 died. Surprisingly, one-third of those that died were found unrestrained at the scene of the crash. Safety during travel is a modeled behavior with as many as 40 percent of children passengers being unrestrained if the driver’s seat belt is not in use.

Motor vehicle related injuries can be prevented. There are many resources available to parents to reinforce effective car seat and seat belt restraint safety. Current recommendations for car seats as recommended by the CDC are listed below:

• Birth to 2 – Children should be buckled in a rear facing car seat until age 2 or until they reach the weight and height limit for their particular car seat which can be located in the owner’s manual.
• Age 2-5 – Children should be buckled in a front facing car seat in the back seat of the vehicle until they reach the age of 5 or surpass the weight and height limits for their particular seat which can be located in the owner’s manual.
• Age 5 and beyond – Children should be buckled in a booster seat in the rear seat of the vehicle so that the belt is adjusted properly until the seat belt fits them properly with the lap belt lying across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt lying across the chest. The recommended height for seat belt use is 57 inches tall.

If you have questions about the safety of your child restraint device, or questions about the proper position of the belt or operation of a child seat, there are two locations you may receive further instruction and advice; the Washington, Pa AAA and the Pennsylvania State Police office at which you will find certified Child Passenger Safety technicians. Below are links to websites with further instruction and information concerning vehicle safety to keep you and your children safe while you travel locally and on vacation.

http://cert.safekids.org/get-car-seat-checked

http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Time-To-Buckle-Up-the-Right-Way.aspx

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Written by resident of the month, Joshua Ferrell, M.D.

Dr. Joshua Ferrell was born and raised in Huntington, WV. He attended Marshall University where he was a John Marshall and Honors Scholar and graduated summa cum laude after three years and was granted early acceptance to Marshall University School of Medicine. His interests in medicine include women’s health and obstetrics as well as missions and international medicine. He plans to pursue an advanced maternal and child health fellowship after the completion of his residency training in Washington. He is happily married to his wife, Wendi, and their interests include worship at their local church and spending time outdoors.

- See more at: http://whs.org/residency-program/resident-of-the-month/#sthash.lQ8DCFSL.dpuf