The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently revealed two startling facts regarding kids and road safety that disturbed me and should disturb every parent.
First, every 33 seconds, a child in the United States is involved in a car crash.
Second, 59 percent of car seats are not installed correctly.
Why is this so important? A properly installed child safety seat can reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash by as much as 71 percent. With car crashes on the rise, parents need to be extra vigilant about protecting their kids by making sure they are buckled up securely in the right car seat, every ride, every time.
As a mother of three, I understand that navigating all the ins and out of car seats is often easier said than done. Some parents, especially new parents, find it difficult to decide what kind of car seat to buy and how to install it properly.
But parents are not alone. Child Passenger Safety Technicians are available to help parents provide the best protection for their kids. Simply visit safekids.org to find a car seat technician or locate a car seat checkup event your community.
Of course, not every parent can make it to one of the car seat checkup events held each year. So we created another resource to help reach more parents with helpful tips to protect kids on the move.
The Ultimate Car Seat Guide provides expert guidance to parents, particularly new parents, on the important decisions they face when choosing and using a car seat. Developed with support from General Motors, the guide offers parent-friendly tips on everything from how to fit a child into a car seat to how to know when it is time to move to a new type of seat. We hope you will use it and share it with your friends and family.
We want to protect kids on the move. Taking just a few minutes to make sure your car seat is installed and used correctly could be the first step to saving a life.