Most parents are taking their kids out of the car booster seat too soon Four in five moved their kid out before they were big enough Three in four don’t know kids need to be at least 4-foot-9 to ride without a booster TUESDAY, Sept. 17, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Most parents are placing their kids in harms’ way by moving them out of their car booster seat too soon, a new study warns. Four out of five parents moved their kid out of a booster seat before the child was big enough, according to the report, , published Sept.
16 by Safe Kids Worldwide. Further, three in four parents didn’t know that children need to ride in boosters until they’re at least 4-foot-9, results show. “Booster seats save lives and prevent serious injuries, but only if we use them and make sure they are adjusted properly,” said , president of Safe Kids Worldwide.
“Here’s a great first step: once your child is big enough to use a booster seat, keep using it until they can safely ride in a seat belt alone. It’s the best way to keep your child safe.” For the study, researchers with Ohio State University conducted an online survey of more than 3,000 parents and caregivers with kids ages 4 to 10.
Booster seats can reduce the risk of serious injury by 45% compared to using a seat belt alone, researchers said in background notes. But survey results showed that many parents aren’t making sure their kid is big enough before getting rid of the booster seat. The survey also found that carpooling.