This week—September 19 to 25—is Child Passenger Safety Week. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration uses this time to remind parents, guardians, and others of the importance of making sure that children are securely fastened when riding in motor vehicles.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2008 Traffic Safety Facts:
- Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of fatalities for kids between the ages 3 and 14.
- About 4 kids in this age group are killed a day in US traffic crashes, while another 529 are injured.
There is no doubt that safety restraints can save lives. In 2008, seat belts saved some 12,250 people over the age of 4. 17,402 others could have been saved if everyone in the 5 and over age group had worn seat belts.
As for children in the 4 and under age group, The NHTSA says that child safety restraints reduce fatalities for infants (under age 1) by 71% and by 54% for toddlers (ages 1 to 4). Some 244 kids in the 4 and under age group were saved because of safety restraint use. If all kids under age 5 had used seat belts, some 323 children wouldn't have died that year.
Of course, using the appropriate safety restraint for your child—whether a regular seat belt, child safety seat, or a seat belt accompanied by a booster seat—is not enough. The restraint device must be appropriate for the child's age, weight, and height, free from defects, and installed and used correctly. While parents, guardians, and other caregivers must make sure that children are properly secured, it is also up to the safety restraint manufacturer to make sure that their child safety seat or seat belt has no defects, doesn't malfunction, and comes with the proper instructions for installation and/or use.
If your son or daughter was injured because of a child seat defect, a seat belt malfunction, or because of the safety restraint system came with poor instructions, our child injury lawyers want to hear from you. You may be able to pursue a child products liability lawsuit against the negligent manufacturer, as well as personal injury or wrongful death complaints against other responsible parties.
National Seat Check Saturday
September 25, 2010 is National Seat Check Saturday. Find a child safety seat inspection site near you and let a certified technician inspect your child's safety seat to make sure it is correctly installed. The check is free! The technician can also show you how to use the child safety restraint properly.
Child Passenger Safety Week, NHTSA
Occupant Protection, 2008 Traffic Safety Facts (PDF)
Car Safety Seats: Information for Families for 2010, Healthy Children/American Academy of Pediatrics
