Houston Accident Attorney on Car Seats
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released new standards for child seats last month. (NHTSA Releases New Child Seat Guidelines).
A child should remain in the back seat using some type of car seat or booster seat until the age of 12. From birth to 12 months infants should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. A rear-facing seat is the safest type of car seat and it should be used as long as possible.
Between the ages of 1-3 children can ride in a front-facing car seat according to the manufacturer’s height and weight limits. Around the age of 4, or after the child has grown out of the previous car seat, a bigger forward-facing car seat is necessary at all times. Only when the child has outgrown this car seat at around age 8 should he/she ride using a booster seat. The child should always remain in the back seat using the booster seat until the age of 12.
According to 2006 figures, which are the latest mortality data currently available from the National Center for Health Statistics, the leading cause of death in children aged 3-14 years is car accidents. In 2008 an average of 4 children age 14 and younger were killed and 529 were injured in motor vehicle crashes each day in the United States. (Traffic Safety Facts from NHTSA)
Texas lead the nation in total traffic fatalities among children age 14 and under in 2008 with 154 deaths followed closely by California with 142. More than 30 percent of US states had 10 or fewer fatalities in the same year.
The study also found that 60 percent of accidents involving children occur within 10 minutes of home and 84 percent happen within 20 minutes of home.
In order to help prevent injuries and even death to children, it is essential that all safety precautions are taken. This includes buying the proper car seats, reading and following the manufacturer’s instructions completely and always assuring that children are properly buckled in their car or booster seats.
If you or your child has been injured in a Texas car crash, contact Steve Lee, an experienced car accident attorney, at 800-232-3711 or 713-921-4171. You may be entitled to compensation for injuries sustained in the car accident.