Why It Is Safer For Kids To Ride In The Backseat

There is a mountain of evidence that shows that it is safer for kids to be in car seats when riding in a car and it is in fact the law until they are 8 years old and reach 60 pounds.  However, AAA recommends that children under the age of 12 years old remain seated in the rear of the vehicle because it is safer for them to do that in the event of a New Haven auto accident.

Why does AAA make this recommendation, even though it is not the law?  There are two reasons that the organization identifies as good reasons to keep kids in the backseat until they are 12 years of age.

Firstly, in nearly half of all accidents the impact is at the front of the vehicle.  In this case, a child who is seated in the backseat is further away from the impact of the accident and therefore is in a safer position to not be injured as badly as if they were in the front seat of the car.  While this does not prevent all accidents, nor does it prevent all injuries to children, it is an added layer of protection for a child who is not quite ready to be seated in the front of the vehicle.

Secondly, auto manufacturers make air bags that are meant to protect an adult from a crash.  If a collision were to occur with a child in the front seat of the vehicle the air bag may do more damage than good to the child.  In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control agrees with AAA and suggests that air bags can actually kill children under the age of 12 if they are seated in the front seat.

You can take your safety for your child in the car one step further by having her/him seated in the middle row seat which is the recommendation made by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Of course the most important thing you can do to keep your child safe from a New Haven auto accident is to insure that she/he is wearing their seatbelt at all times.  If you take the precautions listed above and make sure they are wearing their seatbelt there is a greater likelihood that the child will survive a crash and their injuries will be minimized.

If you or your child has been injured in an accident you may need to speak with an experienced attorney to review your case and work with you to protect your long-term interests.  Contact our office and one of our attorneys will speak with you.