National Child Passenger Safety Week works to keep kids safe on the roads

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - September 17-23 is Child Passenger Safety Week, aimed at reducing the number of injuries and deaths among children in car crashes.

Car crashes are a leading cause of death among children up to 13 years old. And in many cases, the right car seat could have made all the difference.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 710 children under 13 were killed in passenger vehicles in 2021, and more than 100,000 were injured. In that same year, more than a third (36%) of children (under 13) who died while riding in passenger vehicles were unrestrained.

The NHTSA says car seats can reduce the risk of death in a crash by 71% for infants, and by 54% for toddlers, and getting safety information and car seat instructions to parents and caregivers is crucial to saving young lives.

Car seats can be complicated, from installing them correctly to knowing which seat is best for your child, and making sure your child is buckled in properly.

If you have questions about the car seat in your car, there are Certified technicians who will inspect your car seat free of charge, in most cases, and show you how to correctly install and use it. Find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in your community or virtually here.

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