Protect Your Child on the Road - Follow the Law & Be Safe!

In light of the recent accident where a van crashed into a concrete wall with 11 unbuckled children on-board, I would like to remind all drivers, that child safety seats and booster seats must be used to ensure children's safety and to be in compliance with the law. Though, the National Child Passenger Safety Week is drawing to an end, drivers must never forget that all children are required by law, even in vans, to be properly restrained in motor vehicles.  Here are some recommendations to protect your children in a vehicle:

Choose a car seat or a booster seat that fits your child.

• Infant seats are designed for infants up to the age of one and up to the weight of 20 lbs. It must face the back of the car, not the front.
• A child car seat is required for a child up to the age of three and is recommended for use up to the age of five for a child who weighs 21 to 40 lbs. It may be placed in the front or back, and it may face the front of the car.
• A booster seat should be used for a child who weighs 40 to 100 pounds. It lifts a child up, so that a seat belt can be positioned properly for a child who is too small to sit in a regular car seat.

Additionally, it is recommended that children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat with a seat belt. And, it is the law that all children under 18 must buckle up.

Properly install a car seat or a booster seat.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that 80% of all child safety seats in the country are improperly installed. You can attend a car seat check event where those who are certified in child safety seat installation will help you install or check if the car seat is properly installed. You can call (866) SEAT CHECK for the nearest location. Or visit Safe Kids of North Central Florida to schedule your free check.

Have your child ride in the back seat.

Although not required, it is recommended that a child rides in the back of a vehicle. While, front seat air bags save lives, they may be dangerous for children under the age of 12 because they are shorter than adults. Since air bags inflate in less than 1/25^th of a second, which is faster than a blinking eye, this force can strike a child in the neck, causing serious injury. 

Continue to constantly educate yourself about the Florida laws on child safety, carefully read car seat instructions and never leave children unattended or unsupervised in a vehicle. Following these simple rules will help protect your most precious cargo - your child.

For more information, please see: 

3 Ways to Protect Your Most Precious Cargo - Your Child Passenger

Is your most precious cargo buckled up safely? 

Make Sure Your Child's Car Seat is Installed Correctly 

It's the Law:  The Importance of Car Seats

Florida Law Regarding Child Safety Seats and Adult Seat belt Use - Do You Know What It Says?