July 2, 2003
Booster Seat Coupons Help young passengers during summer drives
School is out for the year, and families have begun their seasonal drives to parks, pools and vacation destinations. To make the summer a safer time for families with young children, the Washington State Booster Seat Coalition is now offering discount coupons for Cosco booster seats being sold at Target Stores throughout the state.
The coupon offers a $5 discount on either a high-back or low-back booster seat. Families can choose the style that meets their children’s needs, and both styles are recommended by doctors and safety experts. Low-back booster seats should be used in vehicles that have head rests to protect a child’s head in a crash. High-back booster seats can be used in all types of vehicles.
The $5 coupons, which are valid through July 31, 2004, are part of the Coalition’s campaign to increase booster seat use in the state. The coupons were printed by State Farm Insurance, a long-time supporter of the booster seat campaign.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of serious injury and death for children, and booster seats prevent injuries for children who aren’t big enough to ride safely in adult seat belts. Booster seats are recommended for children once they outgrow their child seats, typically once they weigh more than 40 pounds. Seat belts still don’t fit these children, allowing the lap belt to ride up on the abdomen and the shoulder belt to rub against the neck.
Washington state law requires booster seats for children up to 6 years old or 60 pounds. The Washington State Booster Seat Coalition recommends that children ride in booster seats until adult seat belts fit correctly, typically when they are at least 4′ 9″ tall, are around 8-years-old, and weigh 80 pounds.
Booster seats raise children so that the lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. New research from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia shows that a booster seat reduces a child’s risk of injury by 59 percent, compared with a child protected by a seat belt alone.
“Research shows that a booster seat is the best protection for your child in a crash,” says Dr. Beth Ebel, a pediatrician and investigator at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center. “We’re glad that Target Stores is partnering with the Washington State Booster Seat Coalition to provide these coupons, and we hope that children throughout the state will be safe whenever they travel this summer.”
Interested families can go to www.boosterseat.org or call 1-800-BUCK-L-UP to request a coupon. Coupons are also available at local State Farm offices.
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