According to Transport Canada, 10,000 children under the age of 12 are injured in traffic accidents every year.
In a crash at just 30 mph, an unrestrained child would be thrown forward with a force 30 to 60 times their body weight. They would be thrown about inside the vehicle, injuring themselves and quite possibly seriously injuring (or even killing) other people inside the vehicle. They are also likely to be ejected from the car through one of the windows.
It is not safe to hold a child on your lap. In a crash, the child could be crushed between your body and part of the car's interior. Even if you are using a seat belt, the child would be torn from your arms - you would not be able to hold onto them, no matter how hard you try.
It is also dangerous to put a seat belt around yourself and a child (or around two children).Crash tests have demonstrated that it's impossible to hang on to a crash-test dummy baby no matter how tightly you're holding it — even if you're wearing a lap/shoulder belt.
Putting that kid in a car seat reduces the chances of injury or death by as much as 75 per cent — as long as that car seat is installed correctly.
[Child Car Seats, CBC]
Labels: Child Car Seats
