Important Child Passenger Safety Considerations
Car seats save more than 300 children each year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, but such restraint systems are most effective when used properly and in compliance with the law.
According to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, New York state law requires that: “all children under the age of 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat”; “all children under the age of 4 ride in child safety seats”; and “all children ride in child restraint systems until their 8th birthday.”
Safety seats and child restraint systems must be certified according to the Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard 213, and instructions of the manufacturer must be followed correctly.
Child Passenger Safety
According to the New York State Department of Health, children aged 12 and under should ride in the back seat “as this is the safest place to sit in a vehicle.” Those who drive with a child should always follow the applicable law, as well as the instructions of the manufacturer of a child safety seat or child restraint system. The New York Department of Motor Vehicles provides important information about safety restraints. The Department of Health offers a number of safety tips to keep children safe when riding in the car, including:
- Do not allow a child to “share” seat belts with another child.
- Ensure the child is riding with the vehicle seat upright, not reclined.
- Make sure the shoulder belt fits properly and, if not, the child may need to use a belt-positioning booster seat.
- Make sure the child is buckled up every time.
- Require other drivers to know and abide by safety rules when your child rides in the vehicle.
The importance of proper child safety restraints cannot be overstated.
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