Children in booster seats in the back seat are 45% less likely to be injured in a crash than children using a seat belt alone.
But we know caregivers often skip the booster seat stage entirely – or, in many cases, boosters aren’t used all the way until the vehicle seat belt fits the child correctly.
To protect more kids, the Children’s Hospital Colorado Injury Prevention Team participates in several community events each year with a focus on booster seats and child passenger safety.
A couple members of our team recently had the opportunity to participate in Cimmaron Elementary’s wellness fair in Aurora, Colorado.
Hundreds of students and caregivers attended, and we were able to talk with them about – and show them – the importance of using a booster seat until their vehicle’s seat belt fits properly. We also highlighted why it’s safest for kids to ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old.
Kids got to climb into a booster seat on a passenger seat so we could show them how the vehicle seat belt, designed for adult bodies, fits the with and without a booster.
It was amazing watching kids have that lightbulb moment as they connected how a booster seat helps the car’s seat belt keep them safe.
They were able to feel just how the booster works with the lap belt to make better contact with the strong bones of their pelvis and how the belt guide helps the shoulder belt lay over their collarbone and sternum. The students could also feel how the correct fit helps keep their soft organs safe in the event of a crash.
The shift in their minds from “It’s not cool to use a booster seat” to understanding they need to stay in a booster a bit longer is awesome to see. And it’s all because they got to see and feel firsthand how it works.
I watched these young people look up at their adults and say, “I need to use a booster so I can be safe in a crash.”
Six families left our table with a brand-new booster seat.
It is rewarding to see a caregiver understand the gravity of their choices around child passenger safety and make the best decision for the kids in their care, but there’s something even more special about a child coming to that conclusion for themself.
We are so lucky in the injury prevention space to have a role in empowering kids and families to make the safest choices available to them and to help reduce avoidable injuries.
Clare Decker is a certified child passenger safety technician and instructor (CPST-I). She’s also completed the Safe Travel for All Children training for adaptive travel needs.
