What happens without a child car seat?
If the child is wearing a lap belt only, the belt may ride up on the child’s abdomen, particularly if the child slides forward on the seat because his/her legs are not long enough to reach over the front of the seat. This can cause internal injuries in a crash (seat belt syndrome). The lap/shoulder belt may not fit the child properly, coming across the child’s face and neck. Many children will want to put the shoulder belt behind their back in this case, but this reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of the belt. Young children can slide under the lap belt, eliminating the belt’s effectiveness, and possibly resulting in them being ejected from the vehicle in a crash.
