The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control reports that about half of children between the ages of 5 and 9 who are killed in car crashes aren't buckled up. Nearly 20 percent of children who ride in cars aren't restrained, and about three-fourths aren't restrained properly. Just using a seatbelt alone on a child isn't enough. Until a child is nearly five feet tall and weighs about 80 pounds, you need more than a seatbelt. Children can slide under the seatbelt, leading to worse injuries.
Doctors recommend that children who are too big for child seats use booster seats in cars.
That raises children to a level where the lap and shoulder belts work more effectively. As an added benefit, booster seats improve the view for young passengers. Children should sit in the back seat of the car for added safety, especially if the car is equipped with air bags. Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say parents can set a good example for their children by buckling up themselves. Make it a rule that the car doesn't move until all seatbelts are fastened.