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Health & Fitness

How to Cruise with A 3 Year Old

"How can such a little body resist so mightily?" I thought, drenched in sweat outside the family car.  I am at the parenting stage with my 3 year old boy where attempting to secure him into the car seat is a full-on wrestling match. 

At times, there is a temptation to give up or cut corners by not properly tightening the straps.  In my line of work, I should know better.  In general, we as a society have come a long way in using seat belts as shown by the attached statistics from the National Highway Traffic Administration.  But still, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 19. According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--those serious and fatal injuries could be reduced by more than half if children were secured in appropriate child restraint seats.

Rhode Island state law requires that all children aged 7 or under and less than 80 pounds and 57 inches in height are placed in a child restraint.

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And before cruising with your 3 year old, the American Academy of Pediatrics claims that consistent car seat use may eventually decrease fussy children when they recognize that car seats will be used every time, no exceptions.  I am still not quite there with my son.

At any rate, there is plenty of literature out there on how to choose the right car seat for your child (Parents Central) and how to use them properly, visit the Mayo Clinic.  Finally, our local police departments are always able and willing to help you properly fit and install car seats - call the police to schedule an appointment and safe cruising

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Mike Bottaro is founder of The Bottaro Law Firm, a Rhode Island personal injury law firm.  Mike often writes on safety and car accident law.
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