Last Sunday was Valentine's Day, a time to celebrate and reflect on the love we have for those nearest to our hearts. It is therefore very fitting that this day was also the start of Child Passenger Safety Week. So, Valentine's Week is also an opportunity to review the importance of effectively restraining children traveling in our vehicles. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children 14 and younger. Perhaps the saddest thing about this statistic is that most of these deaths and injuries can be prevented with proper care.
Children are particularly at risk from death and injury as passengers in motor vehicles.
Safety features in motor vehicles are designed for the comfort and protection of an adult, yet many of these same devices can spell danger for children. But using child safety seats and safety belts correctly can prevent injuries and save lives. Many parents who diligently use car seats are surprised to learn in inspections that they have not been transporting their children safely. Within the next few weeks, federal regulators will issue new rules that will require all automobile manufacturers to install in all new cars a single type of anchorage system to hold child seats, which will simplify car seat installation on new cars. For all other vehicles, it is important to carefully read the child safety seat instruction manual and the vehicle owner's manual for directions on proper installation.