Children use seat belt height restrictions

Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report highlighting a disturbing trend: over 650 children lost their lives in car accidents in the United States in 2011 alone. Shockingly, one-third of these fatalities were linked to the absence of proper safety equipment, such as child safety seats. The CDC emphasized that the most effective way to protect children under the age of 12 is by using appropriate restraints—whether it's a child safety seat, a booster seat, or a seat belt when they are old enough.

Over the past decade, from 2002 to 2011, researchers analyzed data on accidental deaths among children aged 12 and younger. While there was a significant 43% decline in overall accidental deaths during this period, the number of child fatalities due to car crashes remained alarmingly high. Despite the reduction, nearly 9,200 children died in motor vehicle-related incidents between 2002 and 2011. This highlights that car accidents remain one of the leading causes of death among children in the U.S.

The CDC strongly advises parents to use the correct type of restraint based on a child’s age and size. Infants under two years should always ride in rear-facing safety seats, which offer maximum protection for their developing bodies. Children aged 2 to 5 should transition to forward-facing safety seats with harnesses, while older kids who have outgrown these seats should use booster seats until they are tall enough to safely use a regular seat belt. According to the CDC, children should not use seat belts until they reach at least 57 inches (about 1.45 meters) in height and are around 8 to 12 years old.

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