2009 Georgia Child Passenger Safety Week
Car crashes remain the Number One Killer of America's children between the ages of two-and-fourteen. They take more lives than violence, suicide and illness combined. And across this country in 2006, an average of five children, ages 14 and younger were killed and 568 more were injured in motor vehicle crashes every single day. "That's why we're working so hard on Child Passenger Safety Week in Georgia, this September 12 through 18," said Director Bob Dallas of the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
"Any child who is hurt or killed in a car crash because they were improperly restrained is a needless statistic,"said Director Dallas. " The fact is, these statistics are preventable with one easy step...properly installing a child safety seat. Fatal injuries can be reduced by more than half for all young passengers if only their parents would use a safely installed child passenger safety seat."
The good news is there's dramatic evidence from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that child safety seats are proven life-savers. According to NHTSA, approximately 8,325 children's lives have been saved by the use of child restraints. "However, many young lives are still in danger," said Director Dallas. "Three out of four child safety seats are improperly installed and mistakes can lead to tragedy."
For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers need to remember and follow these Four Steps for Kids:
- 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 a minimum of age 1 and at least 20 pounds;
- When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at a minimum 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);
- Once children outgrow their forward-facing seat (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);
- When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall) they can use the adult seat belt in the back seat, if it fits properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt across the chest).
The facts cannot be ignored--child safety seats save lives. Child restraints reduce the likelihood of an infant (under 1 year old) being killed in a vehicle crash by 71 percent and the risk of a toddler (1 to 4 years old) being killed by 54 percent. However, children who do not use child passenger safety seats are three times more likely to be injured than their peers who are safely buckled.
When not securely restrained, children who are ejected during a vehicle crash are four times more likely to be killed by injuries following the ejection or by the vehicle rolling over on them.
"Though no parent would intentionally harm their child, the fact remains that many are doing just that by not properly restraining their precious cargo," said Director Dallas. "We want to remind all caregivers that if their young ones are under 4'9", they need to be in a booster seat. Hopefully, all Georgia children will grow up to be responsible drivers and what better way to ensure that future than by making sure they are properly secured...no matter if heading on a cross country vacation or down the street to the grocery store."
For details on other child safety seat check events and inspection stations in your community, visit our website at www.gahighwaysafety.org.
