The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP), and the Northwest Regional Highway Safety Office are reminding parents and caregivers of the importance of buckling up their children in connection with National Child Passenger Safety Week.
(Photo courtesy of PennDOT.)
This year’s campaign, which runs from Sunday, September 18, through Saturday, September 24, has the theme “The Road to Safety,” which highlights the need to select a size-appropriate car seat for every child and using it correctly every time.
In preparation for the safety observance, representatives from PennDOT, PSP, and the Northwest Regional Highway Safety Office visited the Downtown Child Development Center on East 10th Street in Erie today to conduct free car seat inspections for parents dropping off their children.
“It is critical for everyone to buckle up, but even more so for young passengers,” said PSP Community Services Officer Andrew Hacke. “All drivers on our roadways are responsible for securing children in an appropriate car seat, booster seat, or seat belt. It is their best defense in the event of a crash and these tools will work best when installed correctly.”
According to PA TIPP, car crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children ages 12 and under and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says approximately 46% of parents do not have their child’s car seat installed properly.
More than a third (38%) of the 604 child passenger vehicle occupants killed nationwide in traffic crashes in 2020 were unrestrained, according to NHTSA.
In passenger cars, using the appropriate car seat reduces the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corresponding reductions were 58% and 59%, respectively.
Pennsylvania’s occupant protection law for children is as follows:
– Birth to Age 2 – Must be secured in a rear-facing car seat.
– Age 2 to 4 – Must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle and should be in a rear-facing seat until the child outgrows the maximum weight and height limits designated by the car seat manufacturer.
– Ages 4 to 7 – Must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat and use a harness belt.
– Ages 8 and 18 – Must be in a seat belt regardless of where they are seated in the vehicle.
After a car seat has been successfully installed, motorists should register it with the manufacturer to receive important information on recalls and safety notices. NHTSA offers an email alert regarding all car seat and booster seat recalls.
PennDOT provides funding for more than 75 fitting stations where trained technicians will check a child safety seat to ensure it is properly installed. Parents and caregivers can utilize the PA TIPP fitting station directory or NHTSA’s car seat inspection search to find a nearby site.
The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) offer designated walk-in days every month for a child safety seat technician to install or inspect child safety seats free of charge. A full listing can be found on the PSP official website – www.psp.pa.gov.
Additionally, the PA TIPP website – www.pakidstravelsafe.org – has a complete listing of seat belt check events taking place across the state during Child Passenger Safety Week.
For more information on child passenger safety, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.
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