Most American families spend a significant amount of time in their vehicles. Getting to school, traveling to doctor’s appointments and going on vacation may mean hours in the car. To children, frequent car trips just seem boring.
Parents, on the other hand, may find driving with children frustrating and may want to limit how many arguments or negotiations they need to have to get their kids in the vehicle. However, there is one compromise that puts the kids at far too much risk. While children may think that a booster seat is annoying or embarrassing, it could be what saves their lives.
How long do kids need to ride in booster seats?
Safety restraints in modern vehicles are excellent at protecting adults. However, their design focuses on fully grown humans — not children. Proper car seats for infants and babies and then booster seats for older children are crucial for safety in the vehicle. Too many parents let school-age children ride in vehicles without a booster seat because the child protests or claims their friends at school don’t use one.
The standard recommendation is that kids sit in booster seats until they are at least four feet nine inches tall and are at least 8 years old. Until children are at least 13, they should ride in the back seat of a vehicle to avoid the risks posed by airbags to small bodies.
Even in proper restraints, your children could suffer injuries in a car crash that could alter the course of their lives and yours. Taking the right steps to protect your family will reduce your risk and strengthen your position to make a claim if you are involved in a serious car crash.