The forgotten ages: Children deserve a boost for safety
Florida has fallen behind the current safety recommendations for booster seat use and is one of only three states in the U.S. that does not require booster seats for children who have outgrown child restraints with a harness. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 3 to 14.
In 2008, 93 percent of children who died in Florida as a result of a motor vehicle crash were unrestrained. These children were between the ages of 4 and 8. In Lee and Collier Counties between 2005 and 2009, 70 percent of children injured or killed in motor vehicle crashes were between the ages of 5 and 14. These are the “forgotten ages,” a vulnerable age group not legally required to ride in booster seats.
Proper use of booster seats and seat belts, as well as placement in the vehicle’s back seat could probably have reduced this high number of injuries and fatalities to these young children. But without a booster seat law in Florida, there can be no enforcement, and restraint becomes an option or matter of convenience to many parents and caregivers.
Current Florida law requires child restraint devices for children through age 5, although for ages 4 through 5, a safety belt may be used in lieu of a booster seat. The 2011 recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggest as best practice: all children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their child safety seat should use a belt positioning booster seat until the vehicle lap-and-shoulder belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches and are between 8 and 12 years of age. In addition, the National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program recommends booster seat use for children who have outgrown child restraints with harnesses prior to moving into a seat belt alone.
Research shows that improperly restrained children are more likely to be injured, to suffer more severe injuries and to die in motor vehicle crashes than children who are restrained properly.
Safe Kids Lee and Collier Counties has made child passenger safety one of its lead initiatives for 2011-2012 with the goal of reducing the number of motor vehicle injuries to children in Lee and Collier Counties through education, advocacy and partnerships throughout Southwest Florida. Your help is needed.
Legislation is pending that will require booster seats for children 7 and under, or less than a specified height. Take action by submitting a brief online form that is submitted directly to your state representatives asking them to support a booster seat law in Florida: capwiz.com/aaasouth/issues/alert/?alertid=52273501.
In addition, the community is invited to attend “Seat Check Saturday” on Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon at Estero Fire Rescue located at 21500 Three Oaks Pkwy. in Estero. Safe Kids Lee and Collier Counties, The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and other members of the Lee County Injury Prevention Coalition will provide car and booster seat inspections in recognition of National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 18-24.
Nationally certified child passenger safety technicians will assist families with learning how to secure their children properly. Please call 239-343-5224 for an appointment. Attendees are asked to bring the child(ren), the child safety seat(s), car seat instructions and vehicle instructions. Spanish-speaking technicians will be in attendance.
We know that strong occupant protection laws that are consistently enforced are one of the best ways to prevent injuries and save children’s lives. If the booster seat legislation is enacted into law, it would close significant gaps in Florida’s child passenger safety law by requiring some older children to ride properly restrained in a booster seat, secured by the motor vehicle’s safety belt.
For more information, visit our website at www.SafeKidsLeeCollier.org/.
Rick Virdinlia is the coordinator for Safe Kids of Lee and Collier Counties