Keeping toddlers, children, and teenagers safe while in a car and on-the-go is everyone's responsibility. In order to help spread awareness of the dangers the young and little ones can face while traveling, the Traffic Safety Marketing (TSM) group of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun Child Passenger Safety Week 2016, which runs from September 18th to the 24th. The campaign's primary focus is child safety seats and why the right one must be chosen each and every time.Car accidents are consistently one of the leading causes of death for children from 1 to 13 years old, according to NHTSA reports. About 1-in-3 children who perish due to a traffic collision were not restrained or were restrained improperly. When the right child safety seat is used, serious injuries have about a 65% chance of occurring, varying slightly due to the age of the child.With this information in mind, it is clear that choosing the right safety seat for your child is crucial. If you do not know what seat is right for your young ones, this guide, which has been distributed as part of Child Passenger Safety Week, should be helpful.Less than 12 months old: Seated only in the back and in a rear-facing car seat; restraints should be fairly restrictive and entirely prevent any upwards or downwards sliding.1 to 3 years old: Seat only in a back and in a rear- or forward-facing car seat, so long as they do not exceed the weight limit stated by the manufacturer; a child's head should also not stick out of the car seat.4 to 7 years old: Seated only in the back and in a forward-facing car seat; once again, follow weight and height limits closely to ensure your child's protection.8 to 12 years old: Seated only in the back and using a booster seat, assuming the child is too large for a safety seat; seatbelt should rest on their upper thighs - not stomach - and over their shoulder and chest - not the face or neck.13 years or more: Once a child is too large for a booster seat, they may be seated in an adult seat. It is still highly recommended that teenagers remain in the backseat, if possible.The official NHTSA website has additional information and materials regarding Child Passenger Safety Week; click here to visit. If you require the assistance of a Dunwoody car accident attorney after your child was hurt by a negligent driver, you can contact the Law Offices of K. Douglas Cook to speak with a lawyer with more than 20 years of legal and trial experience.
