Parents not placing children in booster seats when carpooling: study
Ann Arbor, MI – About 55 percent of parents always have their child use a booster seat when driving other children who do not have boosters, according to a study from the University of Michigan.
Researchers reviewed survey results from 681 parents who had a child between 4 and 8 years old, and found 64 percent of the parents carpooled. Among parents who carpooled and had at least one child who used a child safety seat, about 20 percent said they do not always ask other drivers to use a booster seat for their child.
The study also found that 74 percent of parents who use booster seats were restraining their child in accordance with the state law. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a booster seat should be used until a child reaches 57 inches tall, which is about the average height of an 11-year-old.
The study was published online Jan. 30 in Pediatrics, a journal published by AAP.
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