Data sources and citation: Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System (RRFSS), 2002 to 2008, 2012
Sample: Households with children between 0 and 11 years of age in the KFL&A area.
Released: June 2016
Correctly choosing, installing and using a child seat is the best thing you can do to keep your child safe in the car.
A rear-facing car seat, installed in the back seat of your car, is needed for infants.1
These recommendations are a minimum. Children should stay in the rear-facing position for as long as the manufactures weight and height limits will allow. The rear-facing seat provides the most protection for your child's weak head and neck muscles.1
Forward-facing seats are used for older children once they have outgrown the weight and height requirements of their rear-facing seat.2
There is no rush to move to a forward-facing seat. Keeping your child rear-facing while still within height and weight limits is the safest option. Please note, all children under 12 years of age are safest in the back seat.3
Booster seats are required for children who no longer need forward-facing seats4 and:
Don't hurry! It is safest for your child to remain in a booster seat until they reach all three requirements and can fit properly in a seat belt.
Booster seats raise the child up so that the adult seatbelt works more effectively.5 Booster seats protect against serious injury 3 ½ times better than seatbelts alone.5 A lap and shoulder combination belt must be used with all booster seats, and all children under 12 years of age are safest in the back seat, away from active airbags.4,5
Seatbelts are designed for adults and older children. Children may be ready to move from a booster seat to a seat belt once:
Your child can start using a seatbelt without a booster seat once he or she:
How children under 1 traveled in a car |
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Figure A. Children, under 1, who traveled all of the time restrained in a rear-facing child car seat, KFL&A Table A. Children, under 1, who traveled all of the time restrained in a rear-facing child car seat, KFL&A, % (95% confidence interval)
Interpretation for Figure AOverall, in KFL&A, 89.5% (85.0, 94.0) of children under 1 year of age traveled all of the time restrained in a rear-facing child car seat. Figure B. Children, under 1, who traveled all of the time in a back seat rather than a front seat, KFL&ATable B. Children, under 1, who traveled all of the time in a back seat rather than a front seat, KFL&A, % (95% confidence interval)
Interpretation for Figure BOverall, in KFL&A, 95.7% (92.6, 98.9) of children under 1 year of age traveled all of the time in a back seat rather than a front seat. |
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How children 1 to 3 traveled in a car |
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Figure C. Children, 1 to 3, who traveled all of the time restrained in a forward-facing child car seat, KFL&ATable C. Children, 1 to 3, who traveled all of the time restrained in a forward-facing child car seat, KFL&A, % (95% confidence interval)
Interpretation for Figure COverall, in KFL&A, 94.2% (92.3, 96.2) of children 1 to 3, traveled all of the time restrained in a forward-facing child car seat.
Figure D. Children, 1 to 3, who traveled all of the time in a back seat rather than a front seat, KFL&ATable D. Children, 1 to 3, who traveled all of the time in a back seat rather than a front seat, KFL&A, % (95% confidence interval)
Interpretation for Figure DOverall, in KFL&A, 95.5% (93.7, 97.2) of children 1 to 3, traveled all of the time in a back seat rather than a front seat. |
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How children 4 to 7 traveled in a car |
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Figure E. How children, 4 to 7, usually traveled in a car, KFL&A, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012Table E. How children, 4 to 7, traveled in a car, KFL&A, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, % (95% confidence interval)
Interpretation for Figure EOverall, in KFL&A, 74.7% (70.6, 78.8) of children 4 to 7 traveled in a car with a booster seat and seat belt. Figure F. Children, 4 to 7, who traveled in a booster or car seat, and always in the back of the vehicle, KFL&ATable F. Children, 4 to 7, who traveled in a booster or car seat, and always in the back of the vehicle, KFL&A, % (95% confidence interval)
Interpretation for Figure FOverall, in KFL&A, 92.6% (90.1, 95.1) of children 4 to 7 travel in a car with a booster or car seat, and always in the back of the vehicle. |
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How children 8 to 11 traveled in a car |
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Figure G. Children, 8 to 11, who traveled wearing a seat belt with a lap and shoulder belt combination, and always in the back of the vehicle, KFL&A**or a booster seat and seat belt or strapped into a car seat Table G. Children, 8 to 11, who traveled wearing a seat belt with a lap and shoulder belt combination, and always in the back of the vehicle, KFL&A, % (95% confidence interval)*
*or a booster seat and seat belt or strapped into a car seat
Interpretation for Figure GOverall, in KFL&A, 97.1% (95.5, 98.6) of children 8 to 11 traveled wearing a seat belt with a lap and shoulder belt combination, and always in the back of the vehicle*. *or a booster seat and seat belt or strapped into a car seat |
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References |
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