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There are few responsibilities more important than keeping children safe. When it comes to traveling in a vehicle, one of the simplest--and most effective--ways adults can protect young passengers is by making sure they are properly restrained.
Vehicle crashes remain the No. 1 cause of death for young children. Proper use of an age- and size-appropriate car seat, booster seat or seat belt can reduce a child's risk of death in a crash by 50 percent.
Yet there is an important piece of that safety equation that is easy to overlook: Installation.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46 percent of car seats are not installed correctly. That means nearly half of the seats intended to protect children may not provide the protection they were designed to provide.
It is not necessarily because parents or caregivers are careless. Car seats can be complicated, and even conscientious adults can make mistakes with harnesses, buckles, installation angles or seat-belt placement.
That is why Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 20-26, is an important reminder--not only for parents, but for grandparents, babysitters and anyone else who transports children.
And this year’s National Seat Check Saturday, Sept. 26, provides an especially good opportunity to take action. Many locations across the country will offer free car-seat inspections conducted by certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians.
Parents and caregivers can find the inspection station closest to them through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s car-seat inspection locator.
There are also resources available for those who want to check their installation at home. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning has produced easy-to-follow videos addressing common car-seat mistakes and how to correct them. The resources cover rear-facing seats, forward-facing seats, booster seats and the transition “beyond the booster.” Audio-described versions are also available.
The important point is this: Don’t assume that a car seat is installed correctly simply because it looks right. Check it.
Child passenger safety shouldn’t receive attention only during one week in September. It should be part of every trip, every day of the year. But Child Passenger Safety Week gives families a useful reminder to take a few minutes, review their child’s restraint system and seek professional assistance if they have questions.
Those few minutes could make an enormous difference in a crash.
For more information about child passenger safety resources in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/CarSeats. Families can also find child-seat inspection locations through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
When it comes to protecting children, there is no good reason to wait for a reminder after something goes wrong. Check the seat. Check the fit. Buckle up--and make every trip a safer one.