WebParenTips - The Online Parenting Newsletter vol.6 no.5, May 2005 

                AUTOMOBILE SAFETY

Lots of newsletters cross my desk. A recent one from
the Arizona Department of Health Services published
some disturbing figures. A board that reviews all child
deaths found that 48% of 386 deaths in children age 1
through 17 were preventable.

What caused these deaths and how could they be
prevented? The two biggies in Arizona are the automobile
and swimming pools. (You may be reading this in a
Colorado mountain town where there is still snow on
the ground so let me just quickly say that no child
should be left alone near any body of water, ever.)

But no matter where you live your child is exposed
to the hazards of the automobile. I'm sure my readers
already know these rules but reinforcement never hurts.

• All kids under 12 ride in the back seat.

• All kids under 40 pounds ride in a child car seat
  with a harness.

• Kids between 40 and 80 pounds ride in a booster
  seat with a shoulder-lap seatbelt.

• Babies ride in a rear-facing car seat until 1 year
  of age and at least 20 pounds.

• Harness straps should be snug (test: only one
  finger fits under the strap).

• Car seat should be buckled so it cannot move
  more than one inch.

• Because 4 out of 5 car seats are used incorrectly
  have yours checked by a trained car seat technician.

• Ask your teens about seat belt use. If you catch
  them not using a seat belt take away car privileges.

The bad news is that too many children die from
accidents. The good news is that many of these
deaths can be prevented.

    
Happy Parenting,
Marilyn Heins, M.D.


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Dr. Marilyn Heins is a Tucson pediatrician, parenting
columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, author of the book,
ParenTips, as well as a mother, stepmother and grandmother.

She is available for workshops and lectures to groups of
parents, teachers, and grandparents. See: Dr. Heins' Lectures
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More parenting information can be found in Dr. Heins' book, ParenTips