Grandmas of a certain age will remember juggling infants and toddlers on their seats in the front seat of a car, or trying to convince pre-school passengers in the back seat to “SIT DOWN.”
We weren't required to buckle our kids into car seats. Even if we had been, the molded plastic car seats that were available were little protection in any emergency.
Those kids, now grown up with kids of their own, understand the importance of a car-safety seat. They're familiar with the intricacies of their use. And as grandmas who sometimes drive our grandkids, we need to be, too.
This morning NBC's Today Show featured a report on booster seats, with a warning by the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute that some booster seats currently on the market are unsafe.
One part of the report focused on the correct way to use booster seats. I found this information helpful for the times I'm driving a grandchild who is using a booster seat. During the interview, Anne McCartt, of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, explained and demonstrated how to be sure the lap belt is correctly positioned (across the upper thigh) for safety, and how to check the shoulder belt to be sure it is across the child's mid-shoulder.
Next time I'm responsible for buckling one of the grandkids into a booster seat, I'll know a bit more about what I'm doing.
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