Definition: Child passenger safety requires consistent use of correctly installed safety seats, booster seats, or seat belts that are appropriate for a child's size and age.

Magnitude of the Problem:

• Motor vehicles crashes are the leading cause of death among children, according to the CDC.
• An average of 4 children, ages 14 and under, were killed, and 529 were injured every day in motor vehicle crashes, in 2008 (NHTSA)
• According to Safe Kids:
  • 31% of the passenger deaths for children under the age of 4 and 42% of passenger deaths for children ages 4-7 were not restrained in 2009.  Child safety seats and belts can reduce fatal injury by up to 71% for infants and 54% for children ages 1-4.
  • Approximately 1,900 children ages 0-14 die in motor vehicle-related accidents every year since 2000.

Prevention: Strategies to improve child passenger safety include:

• child safety seat laws, which have been adopted by all states and which have reduced fatal injuries to children by 35% and all injuries to children by 17%
• child safety seat distribution and education
• community-wide information and enhanced enforcement campaigns
• incentive and education programs that provide rewards to parents or children for the purchase and proper use of child safety seats
• safety seat education that is provided by health care professionals in clinical settings