Crashes are leading cause of death for children 4-10 due to not being kept in booster seat, study finds
Booster seats and car seats are the law for children under eight years old, but a new study reveals many kids aren't being kept in them.
Four out of five caregivers moved their kid from a booster seat to just a seat belt alone – before the child was big enough.
Valerie Bailey-Hearns lost both of her grandchildren in an SUV crash. Neither was in a car seat.
"Both of them were very loving," Bailey-Hearns said. "They always greeted me with a hug and a kiss."
"Parents don't always understand the purpose of a booster seat," said Morag Mackay, chief research and network officer with Safe Kids Worldwide. "It's a booster seat. It boosts you up. So you fit the seat belt correctly."
A Safe Kids Worldwide study revealed 344 children ages 4 to 10 died in vehicle crashes in 2022. Nearly two out of five were not properly restrained.
Safe Kids Worldwide said children should be at least 4'9" tall before being taken out of a booster seat and graduating to a seat belt. If a seat belt isn't correctly positioned, it can cause serious neck and abdominal injuries in a crash.
"We really encourage parents to ensure that they're buckling up their child, every ride, every time in the right seat," Mackay added.
After losing her grandchildren, Bailey-Hearns started a charity to educate parents and give away car seats.
"Maybe I help one family, one family, and just save one child and keep someone from experiencing this pain," she said.
The risk of serious injury drops 45 percent when a child is in a booster seat, as compared to a seatbelt alone, according to the research.
Safe Kids Sacramento can set you up with a free car seat check. You can even sign up to do one through video chat. For more information, visit Safe Kids Sacramento.