Early Childhood Partners and Project 8 Urges Parents and Caregivers to Get Their Child Safety Seats Checked

Every year, motor vehicle traffic crashes take the lives of hundreds of young children, leaving behind heartbroken parents, family members and friends.  As National Child Passenger Safety Week (September 21-27) approaches, parents and caregivers are urged to make sure their child safety seats are properly installed in their vehicles at the Second Annual “National Seat Check Saturday.”  Aberdeen will have certified technicians available to provide free on-site child safety seat inspections from 10am-3pm at the Lakewood Mall.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research, 8,325 lives have been saved by the proper use of child restraints during the past 30 years.  In 2006, among children under age 5, an estimated 425 lives were saved by child restraint use.  Research shows that child restraints provide the best protection for all children up to age 8, after which seat belts provide the best protection.

While the lifesaving effects are indisputable, child restraints work best when used properly.  It is important for parents and caregivers to carefully read the child safety seat instructions, in addition to the vehicle owner’s manual instructions regarding installing a safety seat.  They should also get their child restraint inspected by a certified technician to make sure they installed it correctly. Finally, all parents and caregivers should refer to the following 4 Steps for Kids guidelines to make certain children are secured properly in appropriate seats:

1. For the best possible protection, keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds.

2. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).

3. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4’9” tall).

4. When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age 8 or when they are 4’9” tall) they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).

For more information about Child Passenger Safety Week, visit www.nhtsa.gov.