Kids Outgrowing Car Seats Too Quickly

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Coco Warner ReportingAmerica's battle with the bulge is now affecting child safety seats. A new study shows that many kids are just too heavy for the standard models.

A lot of safety seats are designed for children who weigh up to 40 pounds, but what if your two or three-year old child weighs more than that? Experts recommend buying another car seat with front harnesses, with a higher weight limit, or using a booster seat.

Three-year old Grace Schleter weighs 42 pounds; she's big for her age and too big for her car seat. And using a car seat that doesn't fit a child puts them at an increased risk for injury in a car accident.

Angie Schleter, Grace's mother: "That's precious cargo in there. I want my kid to be as safe as possible."

Yet according to a study published in the journal, Pediatrics, 283,305 children ages one to six are too heavy for standard safety seats. And that number includes about five-percent of U.S. three-year olds. But while the weight of infants and children has steadily increased in the U.S., the standards for car seats haven't changed.

It's something your child might notice before you do.

Angie Schleter: "She would verbally complain, 'Mommy it's too tight, it doesn't feel good.'"

But even if the child complains about the fit, you always want to check the guidelines of the seat.

David Foley, Salt Lake Valley Health Dept.: "Look at the owner's manual. Look at the sticker on the side of the seat to see what the height and weight guidelines are and make sure they are within the guidelines."

David Foley says several car safety seat manufacturers have now increased the weight limit for seats with front harnesses, but he says you may also want to consider using a booster seat.

David Foley, Salt Lake Valley Health Dept.: "If they have a shorter child in a booster seat, a lot of times there are clips on the side of that booster seat that allows shoulder straps to fit over the chest."

If you have any questions or would like advice about which car seat to use for your child, the Salt Lake Valley Health Department has on-site help available.