Apr 9, 2014
BRMC Trauma Services Wants to Keep Kids Safe
Recent statistics show that car accidents continue to be the leading cause
of death for children 4 and older. However, child safety seats reduce
the risk of death by 28% and the risk of injury by over 70%. Help your
child stay safe by following these guidelines from the American Academy
of Pediatrics:
- Ensure car seats are installed properly.
- Make sure a car seat cannot be moved more than 1-inch from side to side
or front to back when grasped at the bottom of the seat near the seat belt.
- Keep infants and toddlers in rear-facing car seats until a child is 2 years
old or reaches the manufacturerandrsquo;s weight or height limit for the car seat.
- Use a forward-facing car seat for most children 2 to 4 years old.
- Use a belt-positioning booster seat for children over 4 years old until
they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
- Ensure that all children - who have outgrown a booster seat –
use lap-shoulder seat belts.
- Donandrsquo;t allow children under 13 years old to ride in the front seat.
- Delay car and booster seat transitions until your child has fully reached
the maximum height or weight limit for that seat.
Baxter Regional Medical Center has a variety of car seats available at
no cost, with specially trained installers on staff. To schedule an appointment
to have a car seat installed, call the Trauma Center at (870) 508-1151.
A free car seat check/distribution event co-sponsored by Mountain Home
Police Department, AR Hwy. Safety Office, and Dimensions - Child Passenger
Safety Program is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to noon
at Home Depot in Mountain Home.