Advanced Engineering, Technology, and innovative Design provides parents with a Safer Option for Transporting Children

FACT: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and National Automotive Sampling Systems (NASS) an average of 8,560 children are injured each year in traffic crashes. The reported number includes 235 fatal injuries and 8,025 severe, incapacitating injuries each year. In the evidence‐based study including traffic crashes 1999‐2008, 2,530 children were using only adult seatbelts and 1,600 children were not restrained at all. The study reports that many parents view belt‐positioning boosters as cumbersome, some equated them to “baby seats” and most did not understand the necessity for the restraint system which when used correctly dramatically reduces the risk of severe and fatal injuries to the head, neck and internal organs.

In response to the alarming statistics coupled with the fact that caregivers do not typically travel with booster seats, Safe Traffic System Inc. developed the RideSafer® Travel Vest to combat this growing problem by offering a safer, more convenient and portable alternative to booster seats. The RideSafer® absorbs the force of impact and distributes the energy throughout a wide area of the body during an impact, reduces head excursion by allowing the child to sit directly on the vehicle’s seat, and properly positions the vehicle seat belt on the child, while not restricting movement. The RideSafer® Travel Vest is designed to be comfortable and adjustable for growing children; its stylish high tech design is considered “cool” by most children that use it and is reported to be very convenient by caregivers.

The unique padded vest design of the RideSafer® Travel Vest allows it to be comfortably worn by children from about 3 to about 8‐12 years old who weigh between 30 to 80 pounds. It is safe, easy to install and use, compact, portable, kid friendly, and meets and/or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213).

The RideSafer® Travel Vest, distributed by Safe Ride 4 Kids, is available in two different sizes. The small size is recommended for children 30‐60 pounds and the large size is for children weighing 50‐80 pounds. Both versions can be used with a lap and standard shoulder seatbelt system or with a lap‐only belt and tether in the rear seat of any vehicle. Due to its compact design, it allows ample room for seating 3‐across in back seat of a smaller car.

“We designed the RideSafer® Travel Vest as a safer alternative to booster seats for families on the go” said the company’s President and Chief Engineer Hoon Kim “While parents find RideSafer® as more convenient and safer than belt‐positioning boosters, we have found that kids are more comfortable in the car because they are not sitting on a hard plastic platform and are eager to wear it outside of the vehicle because of its soft high‐tech fabrics and stylish appearance. We are finding that it is very popular for carpooling, taxis, shuttles and rental car travel.”

The vest positions the lap portion of the seatbelt properly on top of the thighs keeping it below the below the abdomen, preventing injuries to the internal organs and the shoulder belt stays on the shoulder, away from the neck. In addition, the vest accommodates the child’s movements and includes a head pillow safeguarding children who may fall asleep in the car.

Dynamic crash tests have proven that the multi‐layer energy absorbent foams and polyethylene laminates in the front panels of the RideSafer® Travel Vest coupled with the tri‐layer force absorbing tether clip, which stretches in an impact, reduces the crash forces transferred to the child’s body by as much as 50 percent. The Ride Safer® shoulder belt positioner is specially designed to bend during a crash so that it adds to the reduction of forces to the torso and further absorbs the energies during the crash.

About Safe Ride 4 Kids
Safe Ride 4 Kids was formed by a group of four parents, two of whom are current Child Passenger Safety Technicians, to educate other parents about the RideSafer® Travel Vest specifically and car seat safety in general. We found the RideSafer® to be a little known and very innovative solution to many parents’ car seat challenges.

The RideSafer® Travel Vest is now available online at SafeRide4Kids.com for $145‐$159 (MSRP).