July 2004 Child Passenger Safety Issue Report
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive July-December 2004:
July 2004 Child Passenger Safety Issue Report
Interesting read. Focus is on the importance of booster seats. In pdf format.
July 2004 CPS Issue Report
THE FORGOTTEN CHILD
Children Who Move to Seat Belts Too Soon
Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death and acquired disability for children between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. Safety advocates call this group the "Forgotten Child" because, until recently, public policy did not adequately protect them. As of April 2004, nearly half of state laws require child restraints only through age 4. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have long recommended belt-positioning booster seats for children who have outgrown child safety seats with harnesses, but state laws have lead many parents to believe that seat belt restraint is sufficient once the child reaches 4 years. Many parents are not aware of the importance of belt-positioning booster seats in protecting their children. Story continues...
Kids are safest in a belt positioning booster until 4'9" and 80-100 lbs. and pass the 5 Step Test.
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too!
More info:
BoosterSeat.gov
NHTSA - A Parent's Guide to Buying and Using Booster Seats
Trina
Cool. I just learned how to make blinking text! 
The blinkies are cute!
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