Is it safe for a child (8) not to wear a car seatbelt over their shoulder?
Answers:
No way! Some people will say that the seat belt could cause injury to a person in an accident.the fact is, it may, but it will save the person's life! Kids alot more fragile than adults and in the case of a car accident who knows what will happen?!
no its not safe.
no its not safe but in a way hes right. you can buy a gadget to make the belt more comfortable for your daughter but untill then its better she wears the seatbelt as the law intends
You should really get a booster seat for the child. This will raise the child up so that the belt is in the correct position. Booster seats are suitable for children up to the age of eleven.
If the belt is not positioned across the body properly the child is running the risk of serious internal injury in the event of an accident.
No it is not safe, In an accident, imagine the point of impact, the child would be thrown forward, cause back, internal, neck and head injuries. If a child wears the belt over their shoulder, yes they are still thrown forward put the belt helps to hold them back and cause less damage. Sorry its not proof but to me it is common sense. Surely the amount of crash tests that are carried out prove something.
is not safe at all!
here is some details about the new seatbelt law that came into force last month:
Children aged 3 and above, until they reach EITHER their 12th birthday OR 135cm in height
In the Front Seat
The child MUST use the correct child restraint.
In the Rear Seat
The child MUST use the correct restraint, where seat belts are fitted.
There are three exceptions where there is not a child seat available. In each case the child MUST use the adult belt instead. They are -
1) in a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle;
2) if the child is travelling on a short distance for reason of unexpected necessity;
3) if there are two occupied child restraints in the rear which prevent the fitment of a third.
In addition, a child 3 and over may travel unrestrained in the rear seat of a vehicle if seat belts are not available.
It is the driver's legal responsibility to ensure that the child is correctly restrained.
Try a booster seat so that the belt doesn't cut into her neck.
If it was okay for anyone to travel without a seat belt then the gov wouldn't have introduced legislation to force bus and coach companies to install them.
I wouldn't let a child travel in a car with adults irresponsible enough to take this view
No, defineatly not. Get them a properly fitted/sized booster cushion or car seat. If you are in the UK this is now the LAW. But it's more important that they are safe, and protected when involved in an accident, and you can never know what will happen next.
If the child is sitting with only a lap belt on (the shoulder strap behind them or under their arm), it will cause internal injuries and probably badly injure their spine, they would hit their head on the seat in front causing head injuries and neck injuries. If the seat belt is under their arm, this will increase their chances of internal injuries and add chest injuries to the list.
no of course its not safe that is why they have introduced
a booster seat law in this country
there are also other accesories to lower the angle of the seat belt which can be purchased from car accesorie shops
until then the child is at risk from lower lumber injuries
most result in perforations of the stomach and spinal injuries
all caused by the seat restraint going only accross the stomach
regards tigger
further info can be obtained from the department of transport
No it is NOT safe! Buy the seat belt adapter thing that ensures the seat belt is over the shoulder correctly and not against the neck. Would your daughters partner wear a seat belt just across the waist? if not .why not? coz it is a stupid thing to do .. so why insist that it is ok for an 8 year old child Give this person a smack across the head with a rolling pin (just kidding,,, use a frying pan instead)
I don't suppose it would do any good to ask Mr. Know It All for some evidence to support his view. A shoulder harness goes around your SHOULDER.
It is not safe and it is the law.
I am going to assume that you are in the UK. If that is the case the law regarding seat belts and car seats for childer under the height of 1.35M or 12 yrs changed in September.
The link below will give you full deatails about this and the proper safety and use of the seat belt.
It may save her neck from been broken but it wont save her ribs/hips been damaged.
A shoulder belt isn't gonna cause a broken neck..a lap belt alone on a small child like this can cause many internal injuries AND a broken neck. (It's more likely she'd be thrown forward & her neck snapped, where a shoulder belt would prevent her being thrown forward at all.) She should be in a booster seat with a shoulder belt. Any good parent would do this JUST IN CASE. I'd throw a fit about it if I were you.
We were in an accident where a lady fell asleep & crossed into our lane of traffic. We swerved, causing her to hit right beside my daughter. If she hadn't been in her booster with a shoulder belt, she'd have been killed. People often don't realize the importance until it's too late. It can happen to anyone.
You want proof, have a good look at hospital statistics, and how many injured people there are?
Seat-belts are designed to save lives, whilst a properly secured seat belt can save lives - a seat belt which is not properly secured can possibly throw a person out of the vehicle in a collision.
So for safety sake secure seat-belts properly.
No they are designed to distribute and spread the load in a crash,if she wears it as a lap belt you are doubling the load across the abdomen and may suffer internal injuries as a result.its there for a reason,think how heavy your head and upper body are,To be brutal there are recorded incidents in the last war were fighter pilots who were belly landing their aircraft actually cut in pieces by their harness,although the speeds were a lot higher.tell your friend rather a little discomfort or who knows what if the worse were to happen.If you were on a m/way doing 70mph and you had a collision her head and upper body would carry on moving at 88 feet per second.Most modern cars now incorporate a ballistic tensioned device that pulls the seat belt tighter when the sensor detects a collision.to put it bluntly if she doesn't wear it properly she may as well not wear it at all,Experience 34yrs dealing with road traffic accidents.
I believe most eight year olds are still required to be in a booster seat, depending on their size and that would require a shoulder belt. I wouldn't risk not having my child properly secured, plus it is probably illegal!
No No No No No!
The law insists on child seat/booster and full seat belt for a reason - less children die!
THIS WAS MENTIONED NOT SO LONG AGO AND A CHILD WITH A LAPBELT RUNS THE RISK OF REAL SERIOUS INJURY EVEN IN A SMALL BUMP TO THEIR ABDOMENS SO GET A PROPER CHILD RESTRAINT FITTED YOU ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE IF YOU CRASH AND CHILDREN ARE PRECIOUS SO DO IT FOR YOUR CHILDS SAKE
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