EDITORIAL: Car seats save lives

Published 9:00 am Wednesday, September 4, 2024

In 2022, 599 child occupants under age 13 died in traffic crashes; 189 were unrestrained, and many others were inadequately restrained at the time of the crash, according to the National Safety Council.

Car seats save lives.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants (younger than 1 year old) and by 54% for toddlers (1 to 4 years old) in passenger cars.

According to the NHTSA, car crashes injure 445 children and kill 3 every day in the United States.

National Child Passenger Safety Week is this month, Sept. 15-21. If you are a parent or caretaker of an infant, toddler or small child, please ensure they are being appropriately restrained in a vehicle, not just for this month, but as they grow.

Just as seat belts for adults remain the best way to protect travelers from being killed or seriously injured, car safety seats are the best insurance policy for children.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following tips to help parents and guardians find the right car seat, instal it correctly, and keep children safe:

–Find the right car seat. Follow the guidelines based on your child’s age and size. You can find them on the NHTSA website. You can compare brands under the NHTSA’s Car Seat Finder tab on the site.

–Install your car seat properly. Fire stations and law enforcement agencies have certified child passenger safety technicians who can help and assess whether or not a child seat is installed properly. Call the Milledgeville Police Department to schedule a car seat check at 478-414-4000 or 478-414-4012.

This week, Baldwin County Early Learning Center is also helping ensure that local children are properly secured in an appropriate car or booster seat. To have your seat checked or if you need a car or booster seat, call Carrie Brown at 478-457-2431 to schedule an appointment.

–Register your car seat to ensure you stay current on any brand recalls and safety notices.

–Rear-facing, booster or forward-facing. Learn the height, weight and age requirements to choose the right car seat for your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children remain in rear-facing car seats as long as possible. Georgia state law requires children to be restrained in a car seat or booster seat appropriate for their height and weight until the age of 8.

–Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions (check height and weight limits) and read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or lower anchors and a tether, if available.

–To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.

–Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 13.

Milledgeville Exchange Club, Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Public Health will host a car seat safety check at Early Learning Center, 100 N. ABC St. from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 14. Please stop by and have your child’s car seat or booster seat checked to ensure that it is age and size-appropriate.

If you’re unsure of the requirements or if you have questions visit the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety website at www.gahighwaysafety.org.