A new website, “Car Seat Safety for Kids,” recently went live and replaced the “Keeping Kids Safe During Crashes” site. This website is hosted by the Kohl’s Injury Prevention Program and the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) and helps parents to reduce the risks of injury to children in Phoenix and elsewhere. This website serves as a one-stop shop for information regarding child passenger safety (CPS). Through this website, new videos are offered to help parents stay up-to-date with the latest child car seat recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).”This site brings together research expertise and practical experience,” says Suzanne Hill, director of Advocacy and Outreach at CIRP.
Our Phoenix car accident lawyers understand that this website is a beneficial tool in helping current parents and expectant parents prepare and better protect child passengers. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for children age 3- to 14-years-old. Statistics reveal that nearly 9,000 lives were saved because of child restraints from 1975 to 2008. As we stated before, there were nearly 37,500 people killed in traffic accidents in the U.S. in 2008. Of these fatalities, children under the age of 14 accounted for nearly 5 percent. It’s it our responsibility as safe drivers, parents and guardians to ensure that our young passengers are properly buckled up during every car ride.
In 2008 in Arizona, there were nearly 35 children under the age of 14 who were killed in car crashes.
For every child who dies in a motor-vehicle accident, another 400 children are treated for injuries. Using the proper safety seat can help to reduce these alarming risks.
Car Seat Recommendations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
-Children under the age of 1: These young passengers should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.
-Children ages 1- to 3-years-old: Children should remain in a rear-racing car seat for as long as possible. When they reach the rear-facing seat’s height and weight requirement, it’s time to graduate them to a front-facing car seat with a harness.
-Children ages 4- to 7- years-old: These children should ride in a forward-facing car seat for as long as they can (until they reach the seat’s height and weight requirements). When they exceed the seat’s requirements, it’s time to put them in a booster seat.
-Children ages 8- to 12-years-old: These children should remain in a booster seat for as long as possible. When they outgrow their booster seat, it’s time to let them ride like a grownup. When placing them in an adult seat with a seat belt, make sure that the seat belt lies snugly across their upper thighs and that the shoulder portion lies snug across the shoulder and chest area, not the neck.
It’s important to keep children in the back seat for as long as possible. Children are safer in the back seat away from the air bag. Their little bodies can’t sustain impact from the airbags like adult bodies can.
Parents are urged to visit the new “Car Seat Safety for Kids” website and to stay well-informed of the latest child seat safety news and technology. Education is the best way to help reduce the risks of injury in the event of an accident for your young riders.
If you or your child passenger has been injured in a car accident Phoenix, call the Arizona accident lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us online or call 866-99-ABELS to speak directly to a lawyer today.
More Blog Entries:
Basic suggestions to reduce the likelihood of injury in a Phoenix auto accident, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, September 23, 2011
Arizona car accidents a leading cause of death among children, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, November 2, 2010
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