Child Passenger Safety Week urges age-appropriate seats and free safety seat inspections

During Child Passenger Safety Week (September 19-25) the Department of Transportation and our safety partners encourage parents and caregivers to buckle their children safely into appropriate seats. Whether child safety seats or booster seats, children need to be buckled up whenever they ride in a motor vehicle. And they need to be buckled correctly.

Let's start with the good news: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009, 96% of children three years old and younger rode in child safety seats. That's up from 92% in 2008, a significant increase for a number that was already so high. It's pretty clear that parents and caregivers are trying to protect young children in cars.

But there's also some alarming news from NHTSA: Three out of every four of those child safety seats are not being used correctly. And I probably don't need to tell you that child safety seats used incorrectly cannot protect our children.

That's why Child Passenger Safety Week encourages parents and caregivers to have their child safety seats checked at one of the thousands of free inspection stations across the country. You can find the station nearest you at http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS. I know America's families are busy, but spending only a few minutes at one of these inspection stations can save you a lifetime of regret.

And, as a grandfather of nine terrific kids, let me just add that it's just as important for grandparents to properly install these seats.

4-year old Madeline Aldana is checked by trained technician for booster seat size-appropriateness

During Child Passenger Safety Week, we also want to remind parents and caregivers that safe seats for children do not end when they turn four years old. Unfortunately, the percentage of children aged four to seven who are buckled into booster seats has not increased this year, remaining a rather low 41%.

This is distressing because research demonstrates that buckling children into booster seats significantly reduces their injury risk.

Speaking at a local Child Passenger Safety Week seat check with my special guest Madeline Aldana

There is no way to sugar-coat the fact that, last year, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for young people ages 3 to 14. In 2009, an average of four children age 14 and younger were killed and 490 were injured every day.

But this does not have to happen. Make no mistake about it: child safety seats save lives. Children who graduate too soon from their safety seats or booster seats are at risk.

So, this week and every week, please ensure that you're using the appropriate seat every time you drive with a child, whether you're going on a long trip or just around the corner. And please make sure child safety seats are installed correctly; your children's lives depend on it.

Comments

[Consumer Reviews]

Yay for child safety in cars! I am happy to see that so many use child safety seats. However, every now and then I see a family without and child seats in the car. I am talking small children - even a baby in the parents lap. Those people need to make a better effort to keep their kids safe!
Kind regards.

[kromn]

if it didnt interfere wih standard radio, fm, I'd suggesting installing frequency disruptors randomly on trucks, maily local couriers, to disrupt many calls and texting while on the public roadways, and every 2-3 blocks inner city limits.

[Matthew Gulbranson]

We should ask Rihanna to appear in a PSA featuring her song, "Shut Up and Drive". As an actor, I volunteer to appear in this PSA to help combat driving while either texting or talking on a cell phone. "Shut Up and Drive" can be the motto/slogan to fight this problem!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up7pvPqNkuU&ob=av3e

Thanks!
Matthew James Gulbranson
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2782855/

[Michael E. Bailey]

Child safety seats are another important tool to save lives on the highways. And they work well when used as intended. In California, many hospitals send the mother and newborn home with a child seat. And several times a year Orange County Fire Authority stations do child seat give-a-way programs and child seat inspection and use training programs for parents. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Carroll]

I wish law enforcement would enforce the laws about children not in child safety seats. I see way too many small children not buckled up.

It seems like it is a secondary enforcement. They have to be stopped for some other offense, before the issue a ticket for not using safety seats.

I put all of the blame on the parents. They need to wake up before the lose a child in an accident.