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Drive Time
Monday, April 04, 2011 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
When it comes to your little one's development, nothing should rank higher than keeping your kiddo safe.
Yes, some things are negotiable. There may be the late night where you let your toddler fall asleep and their teeth don't get brushed. You may give up having your toddler try a new food. You may decide the transition of your infant to a crib isn't worth the battle at this minute and that co-sleeping is a "happy compromise."
Yes, some things are negotiable. Others are not. "What," you ask?
HOT off the press are the NEW pediatric guidelines for car seat safety.
And here it goes (drumroll please...):
From the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- Infants should remain in REAR-facing car seats until they are 2 years old (instead of 1).
- Children should remain in a seat with a FIVE-POINT SAFETY HARNESS as long as possible (based on weight limits) before moving to a booster seat. Note: some five-point harness systems have weight limits as high as 80 pounds!
- Children should use BOOSTER SEATS until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall, a height most kids don't reach until they are between the ages of 8 and 12 years (and perhaps some adults don't reach!).
- Even when they are tall enough to use only a seat belt, children should sit IN THE BACKSEAT until they are 13 years of age.
Sadly, statistics report that vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death of children four years and older. Nearly 1,500 children younger than age 16 years are killed in motor vehicle crashes each year.
I admit, turning my infant around in her seat when she turned 1 year of age was a moment I looked forward to. I could see her better and felt that, socially, it made for many more interactions and connections. In retrospect, learning the facts, I'd rather have kept her turned around and safe and sound for those few minutes in the car. Safety comes over social connections any day.
Keeping our kiddos as safe as they can be in the car is one pretty simple way to support their optimal growth and development.
Happy (and safe!) driving!
