Men, Women & Car Crashes: Guess What This Means for Your Kids

Today's New York Times Science section reports that, according to a review of over 45,000 crash victims, women driving cars are 47%  more likely to suffer serious injuries in a crash, even when both groups wear seat belts.

Investigators from the University of Virginia, who reviewed NHTSA data from the last 11 years, said women are more susceptible to injury for a variety of reasons, primarily differences in neck strength and musculature, positioning of head restraints, and seating posture.

They also report that "car safety devices have been designed largely for men, and women may need safety features that take into account [adjust to] their differences...  For now, female drivers can ensure that their safety systems perform optimally [by] maintaining good belt fit and correct seating posture."

Doesn't this sound familiar -- belt fit and seating posture?  These are the dual purposes of high back booster seats: to ensure that lap belts fit across the hip bones (not the soft abdomen) and shoulder bones (not the neck); to ensure upright posture when seated, even while sleeping.

Please consider that if 1.) seat belts are designed to fit men; and 2.) even adult women are at risk for serious injury because of poor fit and positioning, 3.) the risk to a child is potentially catastrophic. 

Catastropic. For your child.  Please prevail over your child's complaints and other people's comments to keep your family safe.

Thank you for reading, and please share this information with friends, family and anyone else concerned with passenger safety.

GM Recalling 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX Crossovers

Today, GM announced it was recalling over 100,000 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX crossover SUVs because the front seatbelts could come loose in a crash.

While the seatbelts won't fail on a first impact, GM spokesman Alan Adler said, they could fail during a secondary impact. Car crashes frequently involve more than one impact.

GM will begin mailing letters to owners of the vehicles in mid-January. Owners will be asked to bring the vehicles to a GM dealer to have the seatbelt buckles modified.
Link:  http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/17/autos/gm_suv_seatbelt_recall/

Low Speed Crashes Can Still Cause Serious Injury

Especially if occupants are unrestrained.  A vehicle crash at 19mph (30 kmh) has the same impact on its occupants as a fall from a 3rd story balcony.  (Click link for video.)

This video footage may be dated, but the basic laws of physics have not changed.  Force still equals mass times acceleration.

Boosters: Put Your Hands on Your Hips

A lot of parents think that once their child is in a booster seat, all they have to do is put it in the car, buckle up the kid and hit the road.  NOT SO FAST!  Make sure the booster is doing a good job of positioning the seat belt!

How to tell?  To start, "put your hands on your hips."  THAT'S where the seat belt must cross -- on an adult OR a child, in order to properly restrain the body in a crash. 

Whether in a frontal, rear or side impact collision, the body can be thrown in many directions. The seat belt retracts when the vehicle stops suddenly, and is designed to hold the body AT THE PELVIS (hard, bony, strong) and help the body "ride down" the crash forces. 

If the belt crosses over the belly or the belly button, it is much too high.  In a crash, the belt could crush soft vital organs like the liver, intestines, and kidneys as it restrains the body.  A lacerations on the liver or tears in the bowel are serious, life threatening injuries.  They can also change or impair the body forever, e.g., colostomy.  There is also the risk of spinal injury, if the belt impacts the spine (after it's gone through all the soft-tissue organs mentioned above).

The shoulder belt should cross at the middle of the child's shoulder -- not on the shoulder joint and obviously not across the neck.  Again, across the skeleton, not soft tissue.

So what's the best booster seat? Just as with car seats, the BEST booster seat is one that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and can be used correctly 100% of the time.  Each child has his or her proportions -- long torso, wide shoulders, petite, etc., and back seats have many variations:  bench, captain's chair, etc.  Try out several at a big-box store (some will even let you test them in your car) and see which one(s) fit your child best.  And whether you want to play "Simon Says" with your child or teach him the Time Warp, make sure to put your hands on your hips as a reminder!

Here's a terrific explanation of proper booster use, selection and fit, from CarseatBlog (official blog of the wonderful CarSeat.Org.

Wishing All a Safe & Happy Holiday!

As we head out to our various holiday destinations (H Barry Boo included), I just wanted to send a small reminder to please drive safely and wear your seat belts -- every occupant, even pets! 

In case of a crash, your seat belt will help:

• Keep you from getting banged around the car's interior
• Keep you from getting ejected
• Keep you from colliding with another passenger
• Keep your body in optimum position if the airbag deploys

Also, take off your coats (and baby's too, obviously) and position the belts correctly:  across the hips (not the belly), and across the middle of the shoulder (NEVER behind the back). 

Thanks to everyone for their holiday greetings and treats!  Take care out there and enjoy.  'See you in a few...!