Take time to learn proper child safety measures while traveling

 

On average, nearly two children under 13 were killed and an estimated 374 were injured every day in 2019 while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups and vans, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

NHTSA statistics show that 608 child passengers died in traffic crashes in 2019, a 4 percent decrease from 2018. However, in 2019, 38 percent of those who died in passenger vehicles were unrestrained, up from 33 percent in 2018. That means 5 percent of those who died might have been saved if properly restrained.

It’s not infants and toddlers who make up the greatest number of fatalities -- it’s 8- to 12-year-olds with 229 fatalities, followed by 4- to 7-year-olds with 202.

Car seats, booster seats and seat belts can make the difference between life and death in a crash, but parents often ignore or misuse them.

Child Passenger Safety Week, scheduled for Sept. 19-25, is a campaign designed to educate the public about the issue. That’s because just installing a safety seat isn’t enough. NHTSA research shows that nearly half -- 46 percent – of car seats are not used correctly.

It’s vital that parents and caregivers educate themselves about child passenger safety. Car seats must fit a child’s weight, size and age, as well as your vehicle.  Learning to install and harness your child correctly could make a difference between life and death in a crash.

If you need help installing your safety seat or would like a technician to check whether you’ve installed it properly, look for “Child Passenger Safety” under the “Our Programs” tab at lahighwaysafety.org.

Remember:

• All 50 States, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories have laws requiring children to be buckled up while riding in vehicles. States also require children to ride in appropriate car seats or booster seats until as old as age 9.
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• Read and carefully follow the installation instructions included with a car seat, as well as the vehicle owner's manual. Failure to do this can lead to incorrect installation, exposing a child passenger to the risk of injury or death in a crash.
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• All children under 13 should always ride in the back seat.
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• Tethers should always be used for forward-facing car seats.

Car seat safety check event

Don’t take any chances. Find out from an expert if your child’s safety seat is installed correctly at a Child Passenger Safety Week event from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 25 at Sheriff’s Safety Town, 8910 Jewella Ave., Shreveport, behind Summer Grove Baptist Church.

Safety info

Find information on choosing the right car seat and booster seat for your children at https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats.

For more information on ThinkFirst of the Ark-La-Tex, go to www.thinkfirstlouisiana.org, call 318-226-0066 or check out www.facebook.com/arklatexthinkfirst or www.instagram.com/thinkfirst_arklatex.