I
SwaIler children and babies should always be
restrained
in
a
child or infant restraint. The
instructions for the restraint
will
say whether it
is
the right type and size for your child.
A
very
young child’s hip bones are
so
small
that a
regular belt might not stay low on the hips, as it
should. Instead, the belt will likely be over the
child’s abdomen.
In
a crash, the belt would apply
force right on the child’s abdomen, which could
cause serious or fatal injuries.
So,
be
sure
that
any child
mall
enough for one is always properly
restrained
in
a
child or infant restraint.
Infants
need complete support, including
support
for
the
head
and
neck.
This
is
necessary because
an
infant’s neck is weak
and
its
fiead
weighs
so
much
compared with the rest
of
its body.
In a
crash,
an
infant
in a rear-facing restraint settles into the restraint,
so
the
crash forces can be distributed across
the
strongest part
of the infant’s body,
the
back and shoulders.
A
baby
should be secured
in
an
appropriate infant restraint.
This is
so
important that
many
hospitals today won’t
release a newborn
infant
to its parents unless there is
an infant restraint available
for
the baby’s first trip in a
motor vehicle.
1-36
To Next Page
Loading...
