2013 Child Passenger Safety Week

2013 Child Passenger Safety Week

2013 Child Passenger Safety Week

Talking Points

Goal

The goal is to make sure all children are secured properly in appropriate car seats and that the car seats are properly installed – every trip, every time. During Child Passenger Safety Week (September 15-21), parents and caregivers are urged to make sure their car seats and booster seats are properly installed.

During Child Passenger Safety Week, [Community Name] will have certified technicians available to provide free, hands-on car seat instruction and advice. The week concludes with National Seat Check Saturday, on September 21. There will be 88car seat checkevents across Illinois on Seat Check Saturday sponsored by AAA, Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois Head Start Association and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and [Local Organization]to offer advice and instruction.

Background

Car seats and booster seats save lives – offering the best protection for children in the event of a crash.

  • Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children one through 13 years old based on data collected from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
  • During the five-year period from 2007 to 2011, 3,661 children were killed nationwide in car crashes. In addition, an estimated 634,000 children were injured, more than the population of Boston, MA.
  • Based on NHTSA crash data in 2011, on average, nearly twochildrenunder 13 were killed and 338 were injured every day while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups and vans.
  • In 2011, over one-third of children killed in car crashes were not in car seats or wearing seat belts.
  • All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws requiring children to be restrained while riding in cars. In Illinois, children are required to ride in an appropriate car seat or booster seat until age eight.

Car seats work best when used correctly.

  • Roughly three out of fourcar seats are not used correctly.
  • In 2010, among children four and younger in passenger vehicles, an estimated 303 lives were saved by restraint use.
  • According to NHTSA, approximately 9,874 children four and younger have been saved from 1975 to 2011 by the proper use of car seats. Data also shows 8,616 of these children were saved by car seats alone.
  • Car seats reduce the likelihood of an infant (under one year old) being killed by 71 percent and toddlers (one to four years old) by 54 percent in a car, and 58 percent and 59 percent for infants and toddlers in SUVs, pickups and vans.
  • Failure to read and carefully follow the installation instructions included with the car seat as well as those in the vehicle owner’s manual can lead to incorrect installation, exposing child passengers to grave risk of serious injury or death in a crash.

4 Steps to Safety

For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers should visit their local inspection stations and refer to the following guidelines for determining which restraint system is best suited to protect children based on their age and size:

1.Rear-Facing Seats: In the back seat from birth to the height and weight limit of the seat. Recommended up to two years old, but at a minimum age ofone and 20 pounds.

2.Forward-Facing Seats: In the back seat when the child has reached the height or weight limit of the rear-facing seat to about age four and 40-65 pounds.

3.Booster Seats: In the back seat from about age four to at least age eight.

4.Seat Belts: At age eight and older and taller than 4’9’’.

Remember:

  • Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, and choose a seat that fits your vehicle and use it every time.
  • Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions; read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH system; and check height and weight limits.
  • To maximize safety, keep your child in a car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
  • All child passengers under age 13 should ride securely restrained in the back seat, where they are safest — every trip, every time.
  • As of January 1, 2012, in Illinois, seat belt use is required in all seating positions in all cars, light trucks and vans.

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