safety for children in a car

by GingerSue Sep 13, '07 | 2,329 Views | 12 Comments

0 young children are supposed to be in car seats placed in the back seat of a car
children under 12 yrs are not to sit in the front seat if there are passenger-side air bags.

If the car does not have air bags, then is a child under 12 years (but older than preschool) permitted to sit in the front passenger seat?
12 Comments

Topic Closed
#1 0

Sep 13, '07 by NotReady4PrimeTime, RN Senior Moderator

I would say yes, but cautiously. The issue with the passenger side air bag is that when it deploys, it decapitates, breaks the neck of or seriously head-injures the smaller person in the seat. For infants in rear facing car seats, they are catapulted into the back of the seat face and chest first, resulting in major crush injuries. Fatal injuries. Many newer cars now have weight sensors in the seat that will turn the air bag off if the person sitting in the seat is too small. But there are other issues with the front seat for small people, such as the shoulder harness. Kids have also had similar injuries from shoulder harnesses because they sit too far up on the chest and neck. If the child is still of a size to need a booster seat, putting one in the front seat will place the shoulder harness in almost the right place. There are also clips that can be put on the two straps that can be adjusted to put the harness in right spot, with the lap belt snug across the hips (NOT the abdomen... you really don't want to see what a lap belt can do to the contents of someone's belly!!) and the shoulder strap snug across the sternum and shoulder. If there is a sliding mechanism for adjusting the height of the attachment point on the car's frame this should also be adjusted so that the strap attaches at the level of the person's ear and no higher. Kids really are safer in the back seat.
#2 0

Sep 17, '07 by Kidrn911

just wondering about the 12 year age thing. Wouldn't a height be better then years?

My daughter was taller then me at 10 years old, at 5'2. If it is unsafe for her, why isn't it for me? And what about the girls at 12 and 13 at her school who are still not even 5' yet, is it safe for them now because they are a year or two older.

Don't get me wrong. I am a Peds ER RN at a level 1 trauma center. I totally believe in restraints and MVA safety. I however, don't understand the jest of the guidlines, they really don't make much sense to me.

Last edit by Kidrn911 on Sep 17, '07
#3 0

Sep 20, '07 by dawngloves

Each airbag will deploy with a different force. It is impossible to predict how much and other circumstances, so rather than generalize height and weight, the TSA gives an age.
All front seat passengers and drivers should have their seat back as far as possible and wear their seat belt.
But botton line, children are safest in the back no matter what age.
#4 0

Sep 23, '07 by Kidrn911

Quote from dawngloves

Each airbag will deploy with a different force. It is impossible to predict how much and other circumstances, so rather than generalize height and weight, the TSA gives an age.
All front seat passengers and drivers should have their seat back as far as possible and wear their seat belt.
But botton line, children are safest in the back no matter what age.

Is that the same with the driver too? Sorry, but it doesn't make sense. Height and weight would be a better judge then age.

Another example, Carseats you have it reversed for children under 20lbs, well same daughter was 18 months before she was 20lbs, couldn't reverse it by the safety guidlines. I have seen 4 month old 20lb babies. You can't tell me the 4 month old was safer then the 18 month old having the car seat reversed.

Last edit by Kidrn911 on Sep 23, '07
#5 1

Sep 23, '07 by sirI, MSN, APRN, NP Admin

the american academy of pediatrics car safety guide for 2007 states:

all children younger than 13 years are safest in the back seat.

seat belts remember, seat belts are made for adults. if the seat belt does not fit your child correctly, he should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit him correctly. this is usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age.

http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm
#6 0

Sep 23, '07 by Kidrn911

Quote from sirI

The American Academy of Pediatrics car safety guide for 2007 states:

http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

Just because the AAP says something doesn't mean it is true. It doesn't make sense when my daughter who is now 12years old 5'4" 118lbs, is less safe in the back seat, but her mom who is 5'1 105 lbs is safe in the front seat, and her friends who are 13 and less then 5' and weigh less then 100lbs are safe in the front seat.

The guidelines the AAP set up doesn't make sense
#7 1

Sep 23, '07 by sirI, MSN, APRN, NP Admin

Yes, they are simply guidelines from an authority for peds. Not law.

There was conversation stating about height and weight being a better judge and the guidelines point that out.
#8 2

Sep 23, '07 by suzanne4

Guidelines are just that, guidelines. Each state institutes their own statutes and requirements and laws. There is no set law for all states that they have to have the same requirements in the US, many are similar, but they are not required to be the same.

What matters is what the requirement of your state is, and only that. And that is what the police go by when they ticket, what the law is there, not what anyone thinks that it should be.
#9 0

Sep 23, '07 by Kidrn911

Quote from sirI

Yes, they are simply guidelines from an authority for peds. Not law.

There was conversation stating about height and weight being a better judge and the guidelines point that out.

Can I ask where the conversion is? I only saw it for carseats, not for an adolescent
#10 0

Sep 24, '07 by sirI, MSN, APRN, NP Admin

Quote from Kidrn911

Can I ask where the conversion is? I only saw it for carseats, not for an adolescent

CHild passenger safety laws per state:

http://www.aaapublicaffairs.com/Asse...SafetyLaws.doc

Occupant Protection Guidelines:

http://www.aaapublicaffairs.com/Asse...Protection.doc
#11 0

Sep 24, '07 by sirI, MSN, APRN, NP Admin

Quote from kidrn911

can i ask where the conversion is? i only saw it for carseats, not for an adolescent

here is the contact info for the acp:

mailing addresses
the headquarters of the american academy of pediatrics is based in elk grove village, illinois, a northwest suburb of chicago. click here for driving directions. the department of federal affairs is based in washington, dc. both academy mailing addresses are as follows: national headquarters:
the american academy of pediatrics
141 northwest point boulevard
elk grove village, il 60007-1098
usa
847/434-4000
847/434-8000 (fax)
washington, dc office:
the american academy of pediatrics
department of federal affairs
601 13th street, nw
suite 400 north
washington, dc 20005 usa
202/347-8600
202/393-6137 (fax)

if you are looking for aap policy statements, please go to the aap policy web site.

http://www.aap.org/visit/contact.htm
#12 0

Oct 1, '07 by Annony RN

I'm a peds nurse and CPST so I can't resist adding a few things.

Height and Weight are good indicators for older kids but age is important in younger kids as the spinalcolumn matures.

Yes, some laws state that 20 lbs is the only minimum to forward face an infant. Very scary. Others state 20 lbs and 1 year. Minimum. Ideally it is best to RF a baby/toddler as long as the weight limits of the seat allow. My 15 mos old is 23 lbs and RF. Will be until 32 lbs. In Sweden, they have seats that accommodate RF 5 year olds. Way safer as the cartilage in the spinal column of this age group is more elastic than the spinal column. The AAP and CHOP's carseat researchers support extended RF but many peds and even CPSTs are behind on this.

My state law wants kids under 8 in seats/boosters. There is also a 4'9" campaign. Ideally a kid should pass the 5 step test before abandoning the seat or booster. All points are based on size. http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.pdf

Maturity is a big factor- some toddlers weigh enough and are tall enough for a booster. (It's common for carseats to only harness to 40 lbs and be outgrown by height before then) but a booster will not work effectively if the child is not mature enough to follow directions and sit quietly and correctly in the seat. Most children under 4 are NOT ready for boosters.

Here's a chart on fatality statistics for Sweden (RF until about 5) vs Britain (RF at about 9 mos)
http://ntf.se/konsument/bilder/diagram.jpg

http://www.carseat.org/
http://www.car-safety.org/
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/div...c.jsp?id=77971

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safety for children in a car

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