Child Safety Tips from Toyota of Dothan

May 16, 2015

No cargo is more precious than your children, which is why your dealer wants to take the time to share some very important information regarding your child’s safety in your vehicle.

Turn Them Around – From newborn up to the age of two, children are required to sit in rear-facing car seats. The reason for this is because head-on collisions (which are the most common types of collisions) can result in serious damage to the spine in children who are under the age of two because the spine isn’t fully fused until two years of age. So, keep your baby in a rear-facing car seat until he or she is at least two.

Turn them Around – When your child reaches the age of two, you may turn the car seat around; however, it is important to remember that a car seat with a three-point harness is an absolute must. This type of harness will prevent your child from moving out of his or her seat in the event of an accident.

Give them a Boost – Once your child reaches the age of five, he or she may be ready to get out of the car seat and into a booster. Your child should be sitting in a booster seat until he or she is 4 feet 9 inches tall, which is typically between the ages of 8 and 12. This is because a seat belt alone won’t provide the security your child needs until he or she is this tall.

Stay Safe in the Back – Your child should stay in the back seat until he or she is at least 57 inches tall. Until that height, front air bags can be potentially life-threatening.