Preschoolers and car seats - lurker seeking advice

schadenfreida

Sorry for being a dirty lurker, but maybe you all can help me out. I know this board is chock-full of people knowledgeable about car seat safety. 

 I'm looking to write an article for my son's preschool newsletter about car seat safety before and after age two. Washington state law requires some sort of restraint for kids up to something like age 8 or 4'9", but doesn't specify what type of restraint. I'm seeing three year olds in backless boosters and it's making me clutch my pearls a little. Can anyone point me to reliable references that explain the benefits of leaving children in a 5 point harness, or how to tell If a kid is mature enough for the next step? The sites I'm finding just say "don't take your child out of a 5 point harness too soon" without explaining what too soon is. Even our hardcore children's hospital fit experts are vague about it in their literature. I suspect parents are graduating their kids to what they consider a "final" booster seat as soon as a younger sibling outgrows their infant seat, so it will be hard to convince them to buy an entire new seat. 

 Thank you! I can post interesting newbie stuff about myself if it makes it worthwhile.

ASmallWonder

Join the FB group Car Seats for the Littles.  There's a Files tab with tons of information about the right seats for the right situation.

schadenfreida

Thanks, those are good resources but I'm hoping for some evidence-based research. Neither the car seat lady or the car seats for littles group seems to cite any studies on the pages about 5 point harness seats instead of boosters.

shannond354

I would try your local public library to find evidence based research in their databases. I'm a librarian and that kind of question wouldn't be too unusual. You should be able to use any sources found for your newsletter as long as they are cited properly. Good luck!

Nechie122

If you want studies, check PubMed.

You could also call the PR department at the children's hospital and ask to "interview" an expert and do a Q&A.

nanabanana06

Uh, it's WA state law to be in a 5 pt harness till 4 and 40 lbs. I had to explain this to my bro cuz my niece (at 2) was in a belt positioning booster.

ASmallWonder

As for studies, I don't know what to say.  But Nana makes the point that the law needs to be followed to that should be on there.  Then, legally people are required to use the seats correctly and if a child is too immature to sit correctly 100% of the time, they aren't complying.

MamatoA2010

I thought it was 5 point restraint at 4 y/o and 40 lbs as well, but my almost 4 year old is hovering around 30 lbs so looks like it will be awhile...

schadenfreida

Nana_Osaki06 said:

Uh, it's WA state law to be in a 5 pt harness till 4 and 40 lbs. I had to explain this to my bro cuz my niece (at 2) was in a belt positioning booster.

See, I don't think that's the case any more. I looked up the actual law because I was under the same impression. But it appears that when they updated the law in 2007 to require restraints til age 8, they took out the specifics about what type of restraint. https://www.800bucklup.org/laws/wa_childrestraint_law.asp

Not that it matters, I guess. I'm trying to advocate best practices. I shouldn't get caught up in turning this into a thesis, either. I just wanted to find a source that seemed more "neutral" for those parents who might get their backs up. I think I found something on an IIHS Q&A page.

I was kind of surprised myself, I had been driving out of the parking lot thinking OMG BREAKING THE LAW. But it looks like that might not be the case.

nanabanana06

The revision in 2007 was for the booster until 8 or 4'9". If you read the actual law it says forward facing car seat until 40lbs.

https://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/docs/laws/child_restraint_law.pdf

It's all very confusing because it's not written very well.

nanabanana06

Also, I go by what NHTSA and AAP suggest for timetables, with the addition of the actual law. I'm really strict about the NHTSA rec since it's super important. I think the biggest thing for me besides prividing actual facts and laws for WA regarding child safety seats was seeing the crash tests. Also, having a a list of certified car seat techs and getting information from them is also great.

schadenfreida

You guys are awesome, thanks for the info and resources. I've been so frustrated because so many charts will say booster after the child outgrows the FF seat, but not specify what "outgrows" really means, or make any distinction between high back and low back boosters. It's going to be hard to convince people to buy another car seat when they've "graduated" their kid already and moved the younger sibling into the old seat.

Sorry about tendency to overuse "quotation marks".

nanabanana06

Have you thought about inviting a car seat safety technician to the school for a meeting? Since a professional is more likely to convince people than an article. I've also been known to report people for not having their small children restrained properly. That shits dangerous.

schadenfreida

I've thought about it, but it would have to be done at a non-class time and in that situation I suspect only the people who already care and know about car seat safety would attend.

I may distribute this: https://www.multicare.org/file_viewer.php?id=5975 but it's not as hit-over-the-head as I'd like. 

nanabanana06

I'm shocked the pedi's in your area don't give out this kind of information? I'm from WA and our pedi's give out these kind of pamphlets all the time. It wouldn't hurt though. I'd maybe also do the NHTSA pamphlet as well.

schadenfreida

Oh, they do, I suspect. Plus Washington sends out those mailers every few months to parents of young children. Doesn't mean people pay attention.

nanabanana06

Nope! I do think it's silly. I hope the pamphlets help!