There's a significant and measurable difference in the injuries to kids who are not ideally restrained,'' says State Farm research director John Werner. Her three siblings, who were in child seats in the rear seat, survived with only minor injuries.
Investigators say sitting in the front seat and wearing a poorly fitting belt put the child at risk.
Booster seats, which position adult belts properly on children, are recommended for kids who weigh 40 to 80 pounds, about ages 4 to 8. When children wear adult safety belts too soon, they risk injuring internal organs because the belts can ride up and slice into their stomachs in a crash. If shoulder belts are put behind their backs, their torsos can jackknife forward, increasing the chance of head and abdominal injuries. Dennis Durbin, pediatric emergency doctor at Children's Hospital and a study investigator, says these injuries can lead to long-term brain damage and injury to the spleen, which fights infection. Children's Hospital, which did the study using accident claims data and funding from State Farm, used computer simulation to test how effective proper restraints would have been in the crashes.