Car Crash Causes Awareness of the Importance of the Use of Child Car Seats

Late last week there was 11 people killed in a car wreck in Kentucky according to CNN reporters.  The crash is said to have been the deadliest crash that has happened in Kentucky in the past 20 years.  The car accident occured around 5:30 or 6:00 am and involved a tractor trailor and a van.  At this time the only infomation authorities have on how the crash occured is that the tractor trailor crossed the median and hit the van but the exact cause has not been determined yet at this time and investigations are ongoing.

One thing that stands out in particular about this car accident is that there were children involved, a 3 and a 5 year old which survived, but one of the children, a baby who was adopted, was not in a child safety seat (car seat) and died.  According to investigators it is thought the child was being held by someone when the crash occured. 

It is very important that children ride in a child safety seat every time the are in a vehicle no matter how short of a distance is being traveled or how young or old they are.  If a child is under the age of 8 years old they need to be in a child safety seat - whether it be an infant car seat, convertable car seat or a booster seat they need to be in one in the state of New York until they turn 8 years old.  Riding in a child safety seat helps babies and even older children to remain safe if a car accident occurs. 

Many parents are not sure of the specific break down of what ages and weights children are required to be for different types of child safety seats so here a quick break down:

• Infant - an infant should stay in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 20 lbs. and are at least one year old.
• Toddlers / Pre-school age children - a child this age should be in a forward facing convertable car seat or a rear-facing car seat (if the child is either under one year old or under 20 lbs)
• School age children - at the age of 4 years old children who have outgrown their forward facing car seats and weigh more than 40 lbs can be put in a booster seat.
  
• Older children (up to the age of 8) - older children need to remain in a booster seat until they are 8 years old and are either 4'9" or weight over 100 lbs at which time they should ride in the back seat with a seat belt on.
  

For more information on the importance of child safety seats and the correct way to use them download out free pdf report on child safety seats.