Indiana Accident News

Pediatricians, NTSB call for rear-facing car seats for kids under 2

March 25, 2011
A toddler ejected from car in California has provided a stark reminder of the importance of child-safety seats.
On March 6, the 2-year-old boy suffered head injuries during a crash on Interstate 5 near Crows Landing, California. Investigators beleive he was improperly restrained.
This week, in a joint press release, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommend that parents to keep children in rear-facing car seats until age 2. In the latest volume of the Journal Pediatrics, safety officials and physicians alike say until children reach a height of 4-foot-9, they should stay in front-facing booster seats.
Investigators say the child in the California crash was secured only by a standard seat belt, a measure that can also prove dangerous.
Improper restraints can cause spine and abdomen injuries when crashes occur. Rear-facing child safety seats are specifically designed to lessen impact to the head and neck.
Roy Ramsey, 33, of Oakland, could face charges in the case of the California toddler, once the case is reveiewed by prosecutors.
Between 1997 and 2009, the mortality rate of children under 16 involved in serious vehicle accidents fell 45 percent. Their efforts combined, parents, doctors and researchers can help prevent child travelers from death and disabling injury.

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