Healthy Kids

Stay Safe

At this age, accidents are the biggest threat to your child’s health and life. We care about your child and want to help you prevent these injuries. Follow these accident prevention tips:

Booster seat. Use a belt positioning booster seat secured properly in the back seat for every ride. Keep children in their booster seats in the back seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and can pass the Seat Belt Fit Test:

• The seat belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach
• The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest
• The shoulder belt should not cross the neck or face

California state laws: require that children be restrained in a safety seat in the back seat until they are at least 8 years old or are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. It is important to know that this law is a minimum requirement, not a guide for parents who want to provide maximum safety. Learn more about the law.

Most children need their booster seats until they are between 8 and 12 years old. Do not allow children to sit in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger air bag until they are at least 13. The Seatcheck web site can help you find a safety seat inspection location near you.

Street safety. Continue teaching your child how to cross the street safely. At this age, he is all guts and no sense. He cannot judge the speed of a moving car and will often forget to look before he crosses. Have him cross with an adult. Do not let him play by a street alone.

Bike and scooter safety. Make wearing a helmet when using anything with wheels a rule for your child with clear consequences if he forgets to put one on. California state law requires helmets for any child younger than 18 riding a bike. At this age, your child is too young to ride in the street.

Water safety. Teach your child to swim. It is a skill that will keep him safe. Even when he knows how to swim, never let him swim alone. Teach him never to dive head first into shallow water or water of unknown depth.

Fire safety. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check them monthly and consider changing the batteries every 6 months. Have a fire and earthquake escape plan and practice it with your family.

Gun safety. When there is a gun in the home, children are in more danger of being shot by themselves, their friends, or family members than by an intruder. If you have a gun, keep it unloaded and in a locked safe, with its ammunition locked up separately. When your child visits a new home, ask if there are guns there and how they are stored.

Pet safety. Teach your child never to approach or try to touch any strange animal, wildlife, or bird. Teach your child “to be like a tree” and back away slowly if he is ever threatened by a loose or wild animal.  Learn more with this article on safety around animals.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers more tips on how to reduce the risk of major injuries. Check out their age-related safety sheets for more details.