Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search


Español  Other Languages


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search

		Submit


Transportation Safety


Section Navigation
			
			CDC Home








Booster Seat Planning Guide						Print
																Related Pages
										**CDC’s *Booster Seat Planning Guide* [PDF – 44 pages] can assist States, Tribes, Localities, and Territories with assessing, planning, and implementing improved booster seat laws to reduce crash injuries and deaths among children.**Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. Many deaths and injuries can be prevented with the proper use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.
Research shows that proper restraint use decreases as children get older. Booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% when compared with seat belt use alone.Booster seats are an important stage of child passenger safety. They elevate and position a child so that the seat belt’s lap and shoulder belts fit properly. Proper seat belt fit occurs when the lap belt is across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and when the shoulder belt is across the center of the shoulder and chest (not across the neck or face, and not off the shoulder). This usually occurs when children are between 9 and 12 years old.
Research shows the most effective strategy to increase booster seat use is through updating, implementing, and enforcing state child restraint laws with booster seat provisions—commonly known as “booster seat laws.” Booster seat laws also reduce crash injuries and deaths among children under age 9 who are covered by these laws.
The ***Booster Seat Planning Guide* [PDF – 44 pages]** outlines five steps to develop an action plan to move booster seat safety forward:
Learning about booster seat laws in your state or community
Learning about which motor vehicle crash data are available
Creating and strengthening partnerships
Forming an action plan
Developing a communication planRead the ***Booster Seat Planning Guide* [PDF – 44 pages]** and take action to keep children safe on the road.
Additional ResourcesCDC Feature Article: Child Passenger Safety
Child Passenger Safety: Get the Facts
What Works: Strategies to Increase Car Seat and Booster Seat Use
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  October 7, 2022						Source: 	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
					Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate homeTransportation Safety
Data and Resources for States and Tribesplus icon
LINCS Guide
State Data Linkage Systems
Cost Data and Prevention Policiesplus icon
Motor Vehicle Prioritizing Interventions and Cost Calculator for States (MV PICCS)plus icon
Intervention Fact Sheets
Intervention Glossary
Costs of Crash Deaths
Child Passenger Safetyplus icon
Get the Facts
What Works: Strategies to Increase Car Seat and Booster Seat Use
Publications
Resources
Booster Seat Planning Guide
Seat Beltsplus icon
Get the Facts
State Fact Sheets
What Works: Strategies to Increase Restraint Use
Publications
Policy Impact
Teen Driversplus icon
Get the Facts
Parents Are the Key
GDL Planning Guide
Publications
Older Adult Driversplus icon
MyMobility Planplus icon
Resources
Spanish Resources
Related Pages
Medicines Risk Fact Sheet
Impaired Drivingplus icon
Get the Facts
State Fact Sheets
What Works: Strategies to Reduce or Prevent Alcohol-Impaired Driving
Increasing Alcohol Ignition Interlock Use
Publications
Distracted Driving
Pedestrian Safetyplus icon
Publications
Tribal Road Safetyplus icon
Get the Facts
Roadway to Safer Tribal Communities Fact Sheets
Best Practices Guide
Program Evaluation Guide
Publications
Motorcycle Safety
Bicycle Safetyplus icon
Publications
Global Road Safetyplus icon
Publications & Resources To receive email updates about this topic, enter your email address: Email Address			What's this?				Submit


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue