Child Passenger Safety Week Ramps Up Awareness in September
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently promoting Child Passenger Safety Week, which is the third week of September every year, and this year begins on September 20th. The awareness week wraps up with Seat Check Saturday on September 26th.
NHTSA cites 2018 statistics that every 32 seconds, a child under the age of 13 was involved in a motor vehicle collision as a passenger. In 2020, NHTSA safety advocates are working to raise awareness beyond car seat safety, by including such topics as child pedestrian safety and prevention of vehicular heatstroke.
Booster and Car Seat Safety
Among children aged 1 to 13, car accidents are a leading cause of death. Given that statistic, ensuring that your children are properly secured in size-appropriate and age-appropriate car and booster seats is essential to child passenger safety. One out of every three children that were killed in car accidents in 2015 were unrestrained.
It is very important to make sure that your child fits properly in the seat and that the restraints are adjusted property to secure your child based on his or her size. If you have any doubts about the security of your child’s car seat, why not use the upcoming Seat Check Saturday as inspiration to double-check. The following is a list of resources for ensuring you have the proper car seat for your child. All are by appointment only:
- California Rural Indian Health Board, 4400 Auburn Boulevard, Sacramento. (916) 929-9761.
- Safe Kids Low-Cost Car Seat Program. (916) 864-5779.
- Methodist Hospital (South Area), 7500 Hospital Drive, Sacramento.
- Mercy San Juan Hospital (North Area) 6501 Coyle Avenue in Carmichael.
- UC Davis Health Care System, 4900 Broadway, Suite 1650. (916) 734-9784.
- Yolo County Health Department. (530) 666-8645.
- Fire Stations, CHP, and Police Offices.
- Certain AAA Locations – (916) 560-0503.
Also, it is important to remember to register your brand and model of car seat to ensure that you will be notified of any safety recalls that arise.
Vehicular Heatstroke Prevention
More than 850 children have died as a result of vehicular heatstroke since 1998, according to the NHTSA. In recent years, the agency has promoted safety campaigns such as “Where’s Baby” and “Park-Look-Lock” in an attempt to prevent such tragedies. This year’s Child Passenger Safety Week includes reminders to parents and caregivers about always checking the back seat before leaving their vehicles.
Pedestrian Safety
Another subject included in this year’s NHTSA campaign is child pedestrian safety. As always, motorists need to be vigilant while driving through residential neighborhoods and areas near schools and be on the lookout for children walking or riding their bicycles. Parents are encouraged to discuss pedestrian and bicycling safety with their kids.
Watch the YouTube video: This recent news clip reports on Child Passenger Safety Week.
Folsom Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading – I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Folsom, California. For nearly 40 years, I have been helping injured Folsom residents with their personal injury claims. If you have been the unfortunate victim of another’s negligence and were involved in an accident in which you suffered injuries, you may be entitled to recover monetary compensation for your economic losses as well as for your pain and suffering. If you would like to receive our compassionate, free, and friendly advice, call us at (916) 921-6400. If you will be calling from outside the 916 area code, our toll-free number is (800) 404-5400. If you prefer electronic communication, please fill out our online contact form.
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Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/child-sleeping-car-seat-girl-baby-85321/
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