Buckle Up! Is Not Enough: Enhancing Protection of the Restrained Child

Pediatricians can help parents use child safety seats properly. In 1997, 2,038 children younger than 16 years died as occupants in car crashes and 318,000 were injured. More than one-third of those killed were using a seat belt or child safety seat. Many parents do not use child safety seats properly. They may also "graduate" children too soon and expect them to use an adult-size seat belt. However, young children can slip through a standard seat belt during an accident. Children should use a child safety seat until they are at least 4 years old and should then be placed in booster seats.