Safe Kids Pennsylvania Endorses American Academy of Pediatrics Child Passenger Safety Recommendations

CAMP HILL, Pa., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe Kids Pennsylvania wholeheartedly endorses the newest child passenger safety recommendations developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The policy statement is clear and concise as it encourages slowing the transition from one child restraint type to the next. It does this with five recommendations:

• All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of their car safety seat.
• All children 2 years or older, or those younger than 2 years who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car safety seat, should use a forward-facing car safety seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of their car safety seat.
• All children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning-booster until the vehicle lap-and-shoulder seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
• When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap-and-shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.
• All children younger than 13 years of age should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.

"Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children ages 3 to 14," said Allyson Fulton of Safe Kids Pennsylvania. "Child safety seats reduce the risk of death in passenger cars by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers.  

"The seatbelts in your car are made for an average size adult. They will not fit a child or pre-teen until they reach 4 feet 9 inches," Fulton said.

Safe Kids Pennsylvania and its affiliates offer car seat safety check-up events and child passenger safety awareness programs across the commonwealth. For a list of events in your area, go to www.paSafeKids.org. 

To find a certified child passenger safety technician in your area, go to http://cert.safekids.org.

Media Demonstrations: Safe Kids child passenger safety expert will provide car seat demonstrations March 21-22, 2011 for press at the Safe Kids PA headquarters in Camp Hill. Media contact: Aylissa Kiely Tyndale (717) 903-0219 or [email protected].

About Safe Kids Pennsylvania

Safe Kids Pennsylvania works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 1 to 14. Safe Kids Pennsylvania is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Pennsylvania is led by the Center for Schools and Communities.  

SOURCE Safe Kids Pennsylvania