Post your articles online and promote your website for free! Boost your sites ranking by linking it from the ArticleZap database! Free Article directory and instant translation publishing!
Child Passenger Safety
By David Kite 2411 15th Street Suite C Sacramento CA 95818 916-441-1476
State Farm® agent
Although the number of crash-related
fatalities for children has steadily decreased
since 1975, motor vehicle crashes remains
one of the leading causes of death for
children1. The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that,
on average, 6 children under the age of 15
years were killed and 673 were injured in
crashes everyday in 20042. Sadly, most of
these deaths could have been prevented.
Half of all children under age 15 killed in
crashes were completely unrestrained2.
Although all 50 states currently have some
form of child restraint laws, parents and
drivers need to make sure children are
appropriately restrained every car ride. Here
are some tips to help keep kids safe in
vehicles:
�� All children 12 and under should ride in
the back seat of the vehicle appropriately
restrained3
�� Make sure children are appropriately
restrained according to current best
practices. NHTSA recommends the
following guidelines4:
• Infants: Birth until at least 20
pounds AND at least 1 year old
should ride rear-facing in an infant or
convertible seat
• Toddlers: Over at least 20 pounds
AND over at least 1 year old; up to
40 pounds should ride forwardfacing
in a convertible or
combination seat
• Young children: Over 40 pounds;
Up to at least age 8, unless 4’9”
should ride in a belt-positioning
booster seat with a lap and should
seat belt
• Older children: Over 8 years old or
4’9” should use a lap and shoulder
seat belt
�� All child safety seats should be used and
installed according to the manufacturer’s
instructions, as well as the vehicle
owner’s manual instructions
�� Never place a rear-facing infant seat in
front of an airbag
Be a good role model.
.always wear your
seat belt. For adults, seat belts in
combination with air bags provide the best
protection against injury and death in
crashes.
For more information about child
passenger safety and state laws, please visit
State Farm’s website at statefarm.com®.
1Insurance Institute For Highway Safety
2National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
3American Academy of Pediatrics
4Current as of May 2003
