There are few things more controversial than child safety. Everyone agrees that protecting our kids is a top priority, but we have a harder time agreeing on just how to do that. The recently recalled car seat bill is just another example of difficult it is.

The bill, which had been passed by the Senate and the House, “would change the rules to require kids under two to use rear-facing seats; children under age five must use forward-facing car seats; and children must use booster seats until they turn 12 or reach a height of 4-foot-9,” according to News 2. It was recalled by the Tennessee House of Representatives because its original sponsor, Rep. John Ray Clemmons, wanted to clarify some parts of the law in an “attempt to cover children who are younger than 12 who do not meet the 4-foot-9 height requirement,” as reported by The Tennessean.

Some of our legislators think the move is political, while others claims it is intended to keep more children safe. However, as news of the bill gained traction, and more and more people voiced their opinions (on either side) about the bill, it appears that the House simply wants to reexamine whether or not we need such legislation.

The truth about car seats and booster seats

Regardless of how you feel about the law, you can’t deny that car seats and boosters help to save lives. Safe Kids Worldwide’s Fact Sheet for 2015 tells us that 31% of the children (under the age of 8) who died in car crashes in 2013 (the most recent data available) were not restrained. According to their extensive research:

• “Booster seats have been shown to reduce the risk of serious injury by 45 percent compared to seat belts alone for children ages 4 to 8 years.
• Children 2 to 5 years of age using safety belts prematurely are four times more likely to suffer a serious head injury in a crash than those restrained in child safety seats or booster seats.
• When installed and used correctly, child safety seats and safety belts can prevent injuries and save lives. Child safety seats can reduce fatal injury by up to 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers (ages 1 to 4).”

They also point out that about 73% of child restraints are misused, and that the greatest risk is posed to infants. By their calculations, more than 10,000 children’s lives have been saved by restraint systems between 1975 and 2012.

Safe Kids Worldwide’s recommendations for booster seats fall in line with the bill, in that they also believe that children up to the age of 12 may need a booster seat, if those children are not between 80 and 100 pounds and are shorter than 4’9”. They, too, recommend a backwards-facing car seat until the child turns two, and a forward facing car seat until the child is at least 65 pounds. (No age restriction is explicitly given.)

At Banks & Jones, we help families just like yours who have suffered an injury or a tragic loss because of an auto accident. To find out more about our services, we invite you to contact us and schedule your free consultation with an experienced Knoxville auto accident attorney today.