Denver Child Seat Car Accident Attorney

People who have been injured in traffic accidents can have long-term, or even permanent, physical and emotional disabilities as a result of their physical injuries and emotional trauma. This is especially true of children. In some cases, the long-lasting effects of childhood accidents can be absolutely devastating to those who are the least prepared to protect themselves, as well as to families who are ill-prepared to deal with a traumatic injury to their child. Each year, over 500 children aged fifteen and under are killed in traffic accidents, with many others seriously injured. If your child has been injured in a car accident, you need to speak with a Denver car accident attorney to discuss your options.

Many of these injuries and deaths may be preventable. Just as the most important safety precaution that you can take for yourself is to buckle your seat belt, the most important thing that you can do for your children is to ensure that they are correctly secured in appropriate safety or booster seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration makes a number of valuable recommendations, and gives explanations of the qualities of the different types of safety seats for children in various age groups and of different sizes.

All children less than a year old should sit in a rear-facing car seat. Please be sure that your child seat is installed correctly in the car in order to ensure the safety of your child; if the seat is installed incorrectly, your child is at risk. There are several options for infants: infant-only seats, convertible and 3-in-1 seats. Infant-only seats are rear-facing seats that cannot be used as front-facing seats. Convertible and 3-in-1 seats can be turned into front-facing seats, so that you do not need a new seat when your child outgrows the rear-facing one. To determine how long you can keep your baby in a rear-facing seat, consult the manufacturer’s recommendation, which is typically printed on the seat itself; the longer you can keep your child in a rear-facing seat, the safer. In many cases, the convertible seats may have higher weight or height limits for the rear-facing phase than infant-only seats, allowing you to keep your child in this safest position for longer.

Once your child outgrows the rear-facing seat, based on the manufacturer’s specifications, they should sit in a front-facing seat with a harness. Like the rear-facing seat, it is vital that the front-facing seat be properly secured and like the rear-facing seat, you should have your child use the front-facing seat with harness for as long as possible, based on the maximum height and weight as specified by the manufacturer.

Once your child outgrows the front-facing seat with a harness, it is time for a booster seat. The booster seat does not secure to the vehicle’s seat, but repositions the vehicle seat belt so that it is in the proper place for the child’s safety. The booster seat should always be used in the back seat, and your child should continue to use it until he or she is big enough for the seat belt to fit properly. The lap belt should sit across the upper thighs, not the belly, and the shoulder belt should fit snugly across the shoulder and chest, not across the face or neck. Finally, even after you child is big enough for the seat belt to fit correctly, he or she is still safer in the back seat, as the air bags can cause injury to children due to their smaller stature compared to adults.

If your child has been injured in a Colorado auto accident, speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Keith Fuicelli is a dedicated Denver car accident lawyer who can ensure that your legal rights are protected while you care for the health of your child. For more information and a FREE CONSULTATION, contact Keith at (303)355-7202.