Older Children: Seat Belts | Injury and Violence Prevention Program | UC Davis Health

• Seat belts are designed to fit adults, not children.
• A lap belt sitting across the stomach can cause severe damage to the child's internal organs and spine during a crash.
• If the shoulder belt is not sitting snugly across the mid-chest and resting on the shoulder during a crash, serious injuries to the brain, face, and spine can occur.

For older children, be sure your child meets the following guidelines:

• The child can sit back with their back against the vehicle seat.
• The child's knees are bent over the edge of the vehicle seat.
• The lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs and below the hips, and the shoulder belt lies snugly against the chest, resting on the shoulder.
• Usually, when the child is 4'9" tall.
• All children under 13 years old should ride in the back seat.