Parents and caregivers are urged to check that their children are restrained properly and riding safely as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week.
The campaign, taking place September 17-23, highlights the fact that too many children ride in car seats that have been installed incorrectly, or are riding in the wrong car seats for their ages and sizes. Even worse, many children ride while completely unbuckled.
“Every 33 seconds in 2015, a child under 13 was involved in a crash,” stated the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the sponsor of the campaign. “Using car seats that are age- and size-appropriate is the best way to keep your children safe.”
According to NHTSA, too many parents move their children to the front seat before they should, which increases the risk of injury and death. The safest place for all children under 13 is in the back seat. NHTSA research shows that in 2015, over a quarter of children aged four to seven who should be riding in booster seats were prematurely moved to seat belts, and more than one in ten was unbuckled altogether.
As part of National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 23 is National Seat Check Saturday, when drivers with child passengers are encouraged to visit a child safety seat inspection station to have a certified technician inspect their car seat and give hands-on advice free of charge. Locate a car seat inspection station in your area.
