As the nation observes Child Passenger Safety Week, the Rowan County Sheriff's Office is steppin up its efforts to educate parents and guardians on the best practices for keeping their children safe on the road. Through a recent social media post, they have dispensed critical advice that resonates beyond their local jurisdiction, offering a succinct checklist for child passenger safety.
Highlighting the central point that "BUCKLE UP - EVERY RIDE, EVERY TIME," the safety guidelines provided are rooted in both law and best practices. The Sheriff's Office strongly recommends that children remain in rear-facing seats until at least age 2, or until they've reached the seat's upper limits. As children grow, the advice shifts to forward-facing seats with a harness for as long as possible, eventually transitioning to booster seats until the car's seat belt can fit properly. The golden rule is that the lap belt should lie snug across the upper thighs, not the stomach, with the shoulder belt crossing the chest, not the neck or face.
Furthermore, they underline the importance of keeping children under 13 years old in the back seat, a location statistically safer in many accident scenarios. These points were clearly communicated in their social media post which read, "Rear-facing until at least age 2 (or until reaching seat's limits). Forward-facing with a harness as long as possible. Booster seat until seat belt fits correctly. Seat belt: lap belt across upper thighs, shoulder belt across chest. Back seat is safest for children under 13."
