Car seats save lives, patrol says

The Missouri State Highway Patrol joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Ad Council, and other safety advocates to commemorate National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 21-27.

The primary goal of this program is to remind all parents and other adults responsible for children traveling in motor vehicles of the importance of child safety seats and seat belts. Every year, children suffer needless injuries.

Troopers investigate traffic crashes every day. Nothing is as sad than a traffic crash that includes a child being hurt or killed. Child safety seats protect children. The Missouri State Highway Patrol encourages every driver to make sure child passengers in their vehicles are restrained properly.

Missouri law states:

* Children less than four years old are required to use an appropriate child passenger restraint system.

* Children less than 40 pounds, regardless of age, must be secured in a child passenger restraint system appropriate for the child.

* Children ages four to eight years old who weigh at least 40 pounds, but less than 80 pounds, and are under 4 feet, 9 inches tall, must be secured in a child passenger restraint system or booster seat appropriate for that child.

* Children ages 8 through 15 must wear seat belts regardless of the type of vehicle in which they are riding or where they are seated (front or back).

Like the child restraint law, this is a primary law, meaning you can be pulled over by law enforcement for noncompliance.

* Persons less than 18 years of age operating or riding in trucks (regardless of gross weight for which licensed) must wear seat belts.

* No person under age 18 is allowed to ride in the unenclosed bed of a truck with a licensed gross weight of less than 12,000 pounds on lettered highways, federal, state maintained highways, and within city limits. There are exemptions for agricultural purposes, special events, and parades.

* It is the driver's responsibility to ensure passengers under the age of 16 are buckled up safely. Those 16 and over are responsible for themselves.

There are many styles of child safety seats from which parents may choose.

Infant seats are designed for children up to 22-30 pounds depending on the seat manufacturer. This type of seat should be placed into a vehicle so the infant faces rearward in a semi-reclined position.

It is important to remember rear-facing infant seats should NOT be used in a front passenger seat equipped with an air bag. If deployed, an air bag could hit the infant seat and injure or kill the baby.

Most convertible child safety seats are designed for children up to 40 pounds.

There are a few convertible seats with weight limits up to 65 pounds for larger children. Like all seats, they have manufacturer's labels on the side. They recline and face rearward in an infant position, and convert to sit upright and face forward for the toddler position. Most newer convertible seats can hold children who weigh up to 35 pounds in the rear-facing position. NHTSA recommends a child be a minimum of one year of age and at least 20 pounds before they can be turned around; they also recommend that the child remains facing rearward until the child's weight reaches the upper weight limit of the seat.

Booster seats are designed for children who have outgrown other safety seats and can be used with an adult lap and shoulder belt. Lap/shoulder belts are designed for children age eight or 80 or more pounds. Make sure the lap belt stays low and snug across the hips, and the shoulder belt does not cross the face or front of the neck.

For more information about Child Passenger Safety Week and the proper use of child restraint systems contact the nearest Missouri State Highway Patrol troop headquarters and ask for the public information and education officer, or visit www.nhtsa.com.