Child safety laws in some countries require children aged 4-7 to use booster seats. However, a recent study has revealed that children in booster seats are more at risk of serious injuries.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Transportation Research Institute of Michigan University (UMTRI), a centre dedicated to sustainable and safe road transportation. UMTRI was established in 1965 and currently employs a staff of 102 involved in different areas of road safety including data collection, traffic and accident analysis and safety measures evaluation.
Law requires that a child should be at least 57 inches (or 4 feet 9 inches) high to ride in a car without a booster seat, roughly, till they turn 8 years old. Booster seats are designed to protect children who use outgrown child seats, but are too small for seat belts.
Unawareness and negligence from parents have led to concerns regarding child safety. Most parents move children to seat belts before they hit the required height limit and forgo safety inspections.
In Michigan, the police department has responded by setting up inspection sites where parents can have their booster seats inspected for safety free of cost. Certified technicians are available to train parents how to correctly use and properly install booster seats. They also provide guidance on seat belt fit. Moreover, a limited number of booster and car seats are available for those who need them.
In the Gulf States, we also need awareness on child safety seats, as we also allow kids to sit in front facing seats and do not properly use booster seats.