It is an extremely busy time of year. School has started, families are busy, and nationally certified child passenger safety technicians are gearing up to provide resources to educate caregivers on how to safely transport children in their cars.
Child Passenger Safety Week is September 14 -20, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and supported by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), concluding with National Seat Check Saturday. This week is dedicated to teaching parents and caregivers about the importance of correct installation and use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.
“No parent ever wants to get it wrong when it comes to their child’s safety,” Darrin Grondel, Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, said. “Since the parent and child population is always turning over, continual education must be done to prevent serious injury and fatal collisions.”
Washington’s child restraint law (RCW 46.61.687) requires that child passengers use child restraint systems (car or booster seat) until they reach the age of eight years old, or a height of 4 feet 9 inches or taller. The law further states the child must be properly restrained with the seat belt properly adjusted and fastened, or continue using an appropriately-fitting child restraint system. Children under age 13 shall ride in the back seat position when it is practical to do so. A violation can cost $124.
Despite strong laws, Washington’s child passenger restraint use rates remain alarmingly low. Recent statewide observational surveys, conducted at randomly selected elementary schools, showed one in five children were illegally seated in the front seat and overall restraint use was approximately 80 percent, regardless of whether the child was seated in the front or back seat.
An unrestrained child in the front seat has the highest risk of injury during a crash and an appropriately restrained child in the back seat has the lowest risk. Children under 16 years of age sitting in the front seat have a 40 percent greater risk of injury in a crash than children seated in the back seat. Car seat and booster seat use in passenger vehicles reduces the risk of serious injury by 45 percent for children ages four through eight years compared to seat belt use alone.
Because the proper selection and use of car seats can be confusing, efforts are being made statewide to provide education and car seat inspection services during Child Passenger Safety Week. In addition, The Safest Ride billboard messaging has been placed along Interstate 5. The same message has been utilized by local child passenger safety teams throughout Washington through a partnership with Washington’s Child Passenger Safety Program and SafeKids Washington. For more information on car seats and to find car seat inspection event locations, visit safercar.gov/parents.
