“The nation’s largest organization of pediatricians is telling its members and parents that children riding in cars should remain in rear-facing child safety seats at least until their second birthday — and preferably even longer.”
As reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Also:
“The pediatricians also recommend that children remain in booster seats until they are 4 feet 9 — a height most children don’t reach until they are between 8 and 12 years old.
“Even when children are tall enough to change to adult seat belts, the academy’s policy is that they should ride in the back seat until age 13.”
\language alert. Ken, delete at your discretion.
Because, y’know, these pediatricians would be out of work if they didn’t issue recommendations at least once a lunar quarter. If a girl is old enough to menstruate, she’s old enough to ride in the front seat.
I recommend that these doctors keep their heads in their asses until at least 55 years of age.
Not sure what wisdom the pediatricians are expected to gain at 55, Hugh.
And there is this: “About 1,500 children under age 16 die in vehicle crashes each year in the U.S.”
I’m really lucky that my 8-year-old wants to keep riding in her booster. So, I don’t have to fight this battle. Basically, she’s so small that even though she can legally ride without a booster, the seatbelt doesn’t sit across her the way it should.
If the kid weighs enough to engage the air bag but isn’t tall enough to have his/her face and head above the air bag, the kid can die when the air bag hits them in the face. It’s pretty basic. Why wouldn’t you just have them sit in the back?