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A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has concluded many child booster seats do not do a good job protecting children. Car booster seats have only one function: to elevate children so that seat belts designed for adults can safely restrain the children using the seats during a car accident. A poorly functioning booster seat can greatly increase the chance of injury during a crash.
When evaluating the booster seats, the Insurance Institute focused on the placement of the seat belt on the child's body. A good booster seat positions the lap belt on the child's upper thighs. This allows the pelvis to absorb the impact of a car accident. The worst booster seats left the lap belt partially or even fully on the child's abdomen. This increases the chance of injury since the soft abdomen is what absorbs the impact of a crash. Similarly, the best booster seats elevate the child so that the shoulder strap is positioned at mid-shoulder. This allows the bones of the arm, chest, and shoulder absorb the impact. Perhaps more importantly, this position also decreases the chance of chafing at the neck, which could cause a child to put the shoulder strap behind his back or under his arm.
It is important to examine how your child sits in his or her booster seat and I would encourage every parent who reads this to check often as their child grows. Even though Michigan No Fault benefits cover victims of car accidents even if they are children, proper use of safety measures like seat belts and booster seats can minimize or even prevent injuries if a car accident does happen.
