Study results show that accidents are the most common cause of death among children ages 4 to 10 because they are not seated

Booster seats and car seats are required by law for children under eight, but a new study shows that many children are not placed in them.

Four out of five caregivers moved their child from the booster seat to the seat belt alone – before the child was big enough.

Valerie Bailey-Hearns lost her two grandchildren in an SUV accident. Neither was in a car seat.

“They were both very loving,” Bailey-Hearns said. “They always greeted me with a hug and a kiss.”

“Parents don’t always understand the purpose of a booster seat,” said Morag Mackay, research and network director at Safe Kids Worldwide. “It’s a booster seat. He takes you to the heights. So that you wear your seat belt correctly.”

A study by Safe Kids Worldwide found that 344 children ages 4 to 10 died in vehicle accidents in 2022. Almost two out of five were not wearing a seatbelt properly.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children should be at least 6 feet tall before being removed from a car seat and buckled in. If a seat belt is not positioned correctly, serious neck and abdominal injuries can result in an accident.

“We really encourage parents to make sure they buckle their child into the correct seat on every journey and always,” Mackay added.

After losing her grandchildren, Bailey-Hearns founded a charity to educate parents and give away car seats.

“Maybe I'll help one family, one family, and save just one child and stop someone from going through this pain,” she said.

According to the study, the risk of serious injury decreases by 45 percent when a child sits in a car seat compared to a seat belt alone.

Safe Kids Sacramento can provide you with a free car seat check. You can even log in via video chat. For more information, visit Safe Kids Sacramento.