A Simple Step to Prevent Children from Being Killed in Car Accidents
Across the country there have been numerous reports of children being unbuckled or in the wrong car seat. The discussion around “the right fit” for your child has gained national attention as children have been severely injured or even killed in car accidents because they were not properly harnessed. This week is National Passenger Safety Week which, among other things, brings even more attention to the number of children who are improperly restrained in a vehicle.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children. According to the CDC, 638 children (12 and younger) were killed in 2013 and over 127,000 were injured. It is crucial for parents and caregivers to provide their child with the proper car seat, booster seat or seat belt. Whether or not you are driving up the street or a long distance, it is imperative to place your children in the backseat with the proper restraint.
The statistics support both claims as 263 children (under the age of 4) were saved, by properly-sized car seats, in 2013. Car seats do reduce the risk of death by 71% (for infants) and 54% (for toddlers) ages 1 to 4. We may hear our parents or grandparents mention that they never had a car seat, but the statistics do not lie in the number of lives that have been saved. Between 1975 and 2013, over 10,000 children were saved in car accidents because they were in a car or booster seat.
The week of September 12 – 17, 2016, is National Child Passenger Safety Week and this is a perfect time to double-check your child’s car seat for their own safety. National Seat Check Saturday (September 17, 2016) is a time to have a child safety seat inspection performed. Thousands of local police officers and emergency responders will be at inspection stations to perform this quick and easy task for you. Local inspectors will be able to gather your child’s height, weight and age to determine what type of restraint your child should be in and whether or not it is rear/forward facing. If you cannot find the time to have your vehicle inspected this weekend, fire stations all over Atlanta and throughout Georgia are excellent resources to help you properly install your car seat in your vehicle.
Taking this small step can make all the difference in the world; especially if an accident was to ever happen. Please buckle-up and be safe.
For more information on this topic, contact Kaine Law.