Did you realize that the leading cause of death for children ages 2 to 14 years old is motor vehicle crashes? It’s true. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that almost 1,800 kids were killed in car accidents just in 2006. The good news is that you can do things to make your kids, and those traveling with you, safer during transport. The most important thing is to make sure you are following proper car seat laws for your state.
Why the Laws?
Most of us can remember a time, when we were growing up, that it was pretty much ‘anything goes’ for kids in the back seat. You did not have to be buckled in, car seats weren’t mandatory, and you could pile up as many kids on the backseat as could fit, in order to take everybody out to get ice cream after a game of Little League. But those days are gone – and for good reason.
Research has shown that keeping kids properly restrained in vehicles by using car seats and seat belts makes them a whole lot safer. NHTSA research on the effectiveness of child safety seats shows that they reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers, when traveling in a passenger car. In a light truck, the reduction is 58 percent for infants and 59 percent for toddlers.
Knowing the Laws
Clearly, evidence shows that making proper use of child safety seats and seat belts saves lives. Whether you have kids or not, it is important to know your state’s laws regarding transporting kids. You never know when you may have a youngster in your car, whether a family member or the child of a friend.
The safety seat and child seat belt laws vary by state, so you will need to check with your own state’s department to verify yours. In California, the law mandates that children need to ride in the back seat and be properly restrained until they are at least 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds. Of course, there are exceptions to this, such as when you don’t have rear seats. However, the California Highway Patrol reports that a child’s injury risk is reduced by 33 percent when a child is moved to the rear seat, rather than being in the front seat.
Getting it Right
If you plan on traveling out of state, check to see what the child safety laws are in the state where you are going, in order to avoid any citations. And if you find the task of properly installing the child safety seat a little confusing, as many of us do, don’t hesitate to have it professionally installed. Most hospitals and fire departments will provide this service free of charge.
