September 15-21, 2019 is Child Passenger Safety Week
September 15-21, 2019 is Child Passenger Safety Week and September 21, 2019 is National Seat Check Saturday. Sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council, the organizations have launched a new series of public service ads (PSAs) that remind parents and caregivers to protect their child’s safety at every stage of life from infant to teen, by making sure they secure them in the appropriate car seat for their age, height, and weight. The ads created for Child Passenger Safety week link to a page that helps parents identify the safest seat for their child.
If your child was injured in a car accident
We all want to keep our children safe, which is why it’s so devastating when they are hurt in a preventable accident. If your child was injured or killed in a car crash because of the negligence of another driver, seek the legal advice of an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as you are able. The car accident attorney can discuss your legal rights and may be able to help you to receive a settlement several times larger than you could recover on your own.
Child passenger safety statistics
Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. Many of these injuries and deaths are preventable with the proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts.
According to 2017 U.S. data shared by the Center for Disease Control (CDC):
- 675 children 12 years old and younger died as passengers in motor vehicle crashes.
- Almost 116,000 children 12 years old and younger were injured in car crashes.
- One child under the age of 13 was killed in a passenger vehicle involved in a car accident every 32 seconds.
- Of the children 12 years old and younger who were killed in a car crash (for which restraint use was known), 35 percent were not wearing a seat belt.
- While riding in passenger cars, a properly fitted car seat reduces an infant’s risk of a fatal car accident injury by 71 percent.
- Children between the ages of 8-12 who have not reached 4’9” in height should be using a booster seat to make sure that the seat belt fits them properly.
- The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest, not crossing the neck or face.
- The lap belt should lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach.
Regardless of their age or height or whether they have outgrown a booster seat, make sure your child is buckled up properly every time you drive and never allow them to sit in the front seat until they are 13 years old (except for trucks that don’t have a back seat.)
Seek the help of a car accident lawyer
If you have lost a loved one or been injured through no fault of your own, you have enough on your plate. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the justice and fair compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring, tireless and experienced personal injury attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County and surrounding areas since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
