Abstract
This article focuses on the dangers of motor vehicle crashes for children who have outgrown their car seats but who are still too small to use a seat belt only. The authors discuss the safety benefits of belt positioning booster seat use, identify barriers to booster seat use, and provide strategies for effectively educating parents within the clinical setting. They first review the mechanics of a child's body during a crash, particularly when they are in a vehicle seat that is too large for their bodies. Belt positioning booster seats lift a child up, guide the lap belt across a child's bony pelvis and the shoulder belt across the clavicle and center chest. This allows the force of the crash to be distributed along the strongest parts of the child's body. The seat belt also substantially reduces the movement of the child's body during the crash, protecting him or her from seat belt syndrome or head and spinal injuries. The authors then consider why more parents are not using booster seats, noting that parents generally are not aware of how long children need to ride in booster seats, are unaware of the risk for injury, and are misguided by inadequate child passenger safety laws.
Published Version
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