Child safety seats or child restraint seats are a legal requirement in most countries. They are special seats made for infants to hold them in place and provide safety features so that the infants don’t fall over in case of accidents or sudden stops. There are different kinds of seats available depending on the age and weight of child in question.
History
The first child safety seat was launched in the year 1933 by Bunny Bear Company for Ford cars that had just become a massive success in the US. It was manufactured to raise infants at a certain height which made it easier to see them from the front seat, and protected them by preventing them from falling.
Timeline
- 1968 – Seat belts were provided in the cars for the first time in the front and back seats
- 1970 – Special protective seats for infants were introduced
- 1975 – Report was published which stated that infant car seat use was estimated at only 5%
- 1978 – Law was passed which made child restraint seats mandatory
- 1981 – Another federal law passed which made infant car seat crash test mandatory and standard
- 1985 – The child seat restraint law was passed in all the 50 states of the US
- 1985 – More laws were passed to make seat belts mandatory
- 1998 – Report was published which stated infant car seat use was estimated at 71%
- 1999 – Child restraints systems become universal, and use of nylon tethers are now standard
- 2008 – Report was published that stated the use of child restraint systems and child safety seats at 95% for infants.
A report was published by the US government that stated that over 9,000 lives were saved during the period of 1975-2008 because of child restraint systems.
Types of child restraints systems or seats
Two leading associations of America: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and American Academy of Pediatrics have issued several standards and recommendations on child restraint seats based on the age, size, and weight.
If the child is an infant, the seat is a rear facing car seat, because infants have weak necks. This is to protect them from harm that may come due to jerks, sudden breaks or stops and crash while driving the car. Rear facing child seats are placed in the opposite direction the automobile is moving. It is meant for children that are one year old and weigh around 20 pounds.
For kids that are over the age of one, companies manufacture normal front facing seats. If the weight of the kid is over 40 pounds, then there is a booster seat available in the market. Booster car seats have adjustable belts at the correct height.
Apart from the standard child passenger seats that are commonly available in the market, there are some special seats also available. For example, infant car bed which is used to lay an infant on a flat surface with his head resting towards the center of the automobile. It is meant for infants weighing less than 5.5 pounds.
For toddlers or of kids that are in preschool, convertible forward facing front seats are available that are able to hold kids weighing between 20-40 pounds and measure 26-50 inches in height.
Conclusion
It is the responsibility of the parents to drive safely, use seat belts, and keep their infants/kids safe by using child restraint seats or child safety seats. Always obey the rules and set an example for your children to follow in the years to come.