Every day in Kansas children are traveling in vehicles, riding to and from school or sports practice, the grocery store, or heading to a friend’s house. The problem is, too many children aren’t riding safely. To help families and caregivers know what to do to keep their children as safe as possible on the road, statewide partners including Safe Kids Kansas, the Kansas Department of Transportation, and the Kansas Highway Patrol are promoting Child Passenger Safety Week.
Child Passenger Safety Week runs September 18-24 and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is a campaign dedicated to making sure children ride as safely as possible, every trip, every time. Some children should be riding in car seats or booster seats but are in seat belts too soon, and some ride completely unrestrained, leaving them at risk for serious injury or death from vehicle crashes.
“Every 33 seconds a child under the age of 13 is involved in a crash in the U.S.,” said Colonel Mark Bruce of the Kansas Highway Patrol. “Using car seats that are age- and size-appropriate is the best way to keep your child safe.” Motor vehicle crashes are a leading killer of children. Car seats, booster seats, and seat belts can make all the difference. “In 2014 in the U.S., an estimated 252 child occupants 4 and younger were saved by the use of child restraints. Cars seats matter, and having the right car seat installed and used the right way is critical.”
In 2014, there were 68 motor vehicle crash (MVC) injury hospital discharges and 14 MVC injury deaths among Kansas children 14 years old and younger. While the state-wide estimate of motor vehicle restraint use among Kansas children (0-17) continues to increase (approximately 88 percent usage), the vast majority of children who died in these crashes were unrestrained in the vehicle.
In support of statewide efforts to improve the safety of children on Kansas roads, the Kansas Motor Carrier Association is donating a total of 63 car seats and booster seats to the Kansas Highway Patrol to provide to families in need. This partnership is an example of the collaborative efforts taking place in Kansas around Child Passenger Safety and a commitment to safety.
NHTSA recommends the following tips:
• Keep children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height or weight allowed by the manufacturer and as close to age two as possible.
• Once a child outgrows the rear-facing only “infant” car seat, he/she should travel in a rear-facing “convertible” or all-in-one car seat.
• Once your child outgrows the rear-facing size limits, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.
• After outgrowing the forward-facing car seats, children should be placed in booster seats until they’re the right size to use seat belts safely.
• Register your car seat and/or booster seat with the car seat manufacturer so you can be notified if there is ever a safety recall.
• Check in with a professional. To have your car seats checked by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, visit www.kansascarseatcheck.org to schedule an appointment.
Dale Hogg
