Lack of Booster Seats for Older Cars Imperils Children

Families driving older-model cars face a daunting challenge in giving their elementary school-age children the best protection in a crash, federal safety officials warned Thursday.

A disproportionate share of black and Latino children are at risk, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall said at a daylong meeting on the issue, adding: “It’s a hole in our safety net.”

The problem is a lack of booster seats that can be used in cars built before 1990. Most of these cars only provide lap belts in the back seat. Yet all but one of the booster seats now on the market are designed to work not just with lap belts but with shoulder belts.

The lack of such seats could become a source of special aggravation to California parents. Beginning in 2002, a new law will require older children through age 6 to ride in boosters. Parents who fail to comply could face fines of from $100 to $250. Washington is the only other state with such a stringent law, which has been praised by safety advocates.

Booster seats are specifically built for older children who have outgrown child seats but are too small for adult belts--generally 4- to 8-year-olds.

The back seats of about a third of the cars on the road--about 43 million vehicles--have lap belts only.

Wednesday, Hall called on child seat manufacturers to develop more models of booster seats that can fit older cars.

The extent of the shortcomings came to light at car seat safety checkups for families around the country. “It was extremely disappointing to have a class of vehicles for which there were no proper seats,” said Hall, who attended a safety checkup in Los Angeles this spring. “Every child could not go away safe.”

Studies show that parents at all income levels are conscientious about putting infants and toddlers in child seats. But there is a safety gap when it comes to 4- to 8-year-olds.

In a severe crash, these children can suffer serious internal trauma from adult lap belts, and facial and neck injuries from adult shoulder belts. There is even a recognized medical term for the injuries: seat belt syndrome.

To reduce injuries, pediatricians and safety experts have begun recommending that parents purchase booster seats for their elementary-age children. Boosters are firm pads that raise children so the lap belt fits across the hips and the shoulder belt will not cut across the neck.

Although boosters are relatively inexpensive--ranging from $20 to $100--most parents are not yet aware of their importance for older children. Nationally, it is estimated that fewer than 10% of children who should be in boosters are using them.

However, parents who own an older model vehicle may not be able to find a suitable booster seat, even if they want to provide the best protection for their children.

Elaine Weinstein, a traffic safety agency official who specializes in child safety, said that there is just one booster seat on the market that can be used in a car that only has lap belts. It is the Fisher Price Futura model, which sells for about $80.

A Jupiter, Fla., company, E-Z-ON Products, sells a harness that can be installed in the back seat and provides an alternative to a booster. It works with the adult lap belt to keep a small child from doubling over the belt in a crash. Lori Antolino, a safety advisor to the company, said the harness costs less than $50 and installation costs can run another $50.

However, Weinstein said, the harness may be too snug for an active child. “For a wiggly kid, it could be a problem.”