Child Passenger Safety Week takes places nationally and locally this year from September 16-22. Learn what you can about installing car seats properly. In the past five years, more than 180 children in Georgia have been in a traffic crash and were consequently saved from serious injury and/or death by a car seat or a booster seat, according to the Newnan County Times-Herald.
Car seats are the most effective when they are installed and used properly; yet, three out of every four car seats are not installed and used correctly.
Georgia law states that any child under eight years of age in a passenger automobile, van or pickup truck must be properly restrained in a child passenger restraining system appropriate for the child’s height and weight.
The best way to protect children riding in a vehicle is to put them in the right seat, at the right time. Securing your child in a car seat also establishes good habits of seat belt use every time your child travels in a vehicle.
There are so many car seat types and models; it’s difficult to know whic
h one is right for your child.
Listed below are some resources to answer any and all types of car safety questions.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists car crashes as the number of killer of children 1-12 years old in the United States. In response to those harrowing statistics, NHTSA has a special part of its website dedicated to child safety.
- NHTSA recently launched a new website called Parents Central that provides information, advice, outside resources, and more to parents looking to keep their child (of any age) safe while in and around a car.
- The Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute (GTIPI) website has a kid’s page section. It provides several interactive websites and games as well as fun activities like puzzles, coloring sheets, and songs for you to use with your child.
- Looking for someone to check that your child’s car seat is installed properly? You can use NHTSA’s Child Car Seat Inspection Station Locator.
Educating parents and child caregivers on the proper use of a car seat or a booster seat can seriously reduce the number of child injuries and fatalities that occur from traffic accidents.
