Child Safety Seats
The video I just posted has come about for two reasons, one and the most important, I wish to show someone in particular that holding an infant and not using a child's safety seat is just plain ignorant. Simply stupid, and in many states it constitutes an act of endangerment and can get you more than a just a ticket. I get sick feeling just thinking about it. It would be far better to let a baby cry for 15 or 20 minutes in a car seat then hold them and foolishly risk the life of the child. If the baby is really upset, pull over and hold them till they calm down, but don't DRIVE with any child under age 4 unrestrained !!!! Sitting in the parking lot the other day while waiting on someone, I chanced to see more than a couple child not in child safety seats. I was horrified and outraged. Today I called the local police to find out just what the law is in Texas for people who do not use child safety seats.
Melanie lives just a couple houses down and it has never even crossed their mind to drive that short distance without Mei-Ling being all buckled up in her safety seat.
In the year 2004, 50% of child occupants who were fatally injured in crashes were unrestrained !
Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants (younger than 1 year) and by 54% for toddlers (1-4 year olds) in passenger cars. http://www.safekids.org/
The good news is that one reports say that 98% of children 1 and under are restrained by safety seats, meaning there are only 2% of infants with ignorant parents !
It is estimated that young children restrained in child safety seats have an 80% lower risk of fatal injury than those who are unrestrained.
No matter how good a driver you are, there is always the other guy who may not be.
In the old days, before we knew the facts, people didn't think about the need for child safety seats, children would stand in the back seat or sit next to their parents and probably more than a couple of us remember when our parents had to stop fast, their arm would come out as if to keep us from hitting the dash, but simple physics tell us, no arm can hold a child back.
Step out of the dark ages, we no longer are a horse and buggy world. Be smart and
safe, restrain your child in a good child safety seat, please !
Mei Ling asleep in her child safety seat....oh by the way, good news. Mei-Ling had an appointment with her cardiologist today and was taken off her heart medication and another medication was nearly cut in half. The reports were all good !
Comments
Another thing to mention is that a seat that's been in an accident, even a really minor one, is the same as using no seat at all. I was in a minor fender bender with Owen when he was a toddler and I decided to get a new seat. I figured it was probably fine but I have heard so many times to always replace a seat in an accident. This accident was SO minor but it just wasn't worth the risk!
I bought him a new seat and when I picked up the old one to throw it away, it literally fell apart in my hands! It had no visible damage whatsoever! It looked perfectly fine but it obviously wasn't. The frond shield (back in the days they still sold that kind) fell off the seat and some metal spring like things fell to the ground. I was horrified! I couldn't believe that such a minor accident could damage a seat so badly. I am SO thankful I didn't use it again. What if I'd been in another accident with that seat? It would have been like he was just sitting on my lap or something. How scary!
A long comment, I know. I just feel pretty strongly about this as you do too.
I know another couple who were hit by a drunk driver, and the mother was killed, and the father suffered severe brain damage. The little ones, ages one, and two were belted in car seats, and were not physically hurt.
It is so important to use an approved car seat for children.
About 2 years ago there was an accident here in Indiana where an infant, being held by a front passenger, was ejected from the car. He was killed by a passing vehicle. The details were rather gruesome. His grandmother was holding him. I can only imagine the trauma she continues to experience as a result of that accident. The visual image of that particular accident is what pops into my head every time I see a child unrestrained in a car.
I am proud to say that both of my children are adament about wearing their seat belts.
Also a wonderful point from Christine. If your seat is installed in your car and you have an accident, no matter how minor, it must be replaced.
Last, but not least, many state and local police agencies will give away seats to those who are unable to afford them.