Last week was National Child Passenger Safety Week - a reminder for parents and caregivers to make sure they're using the right car seat and installing it correctly.
Child car seats save lives, but only when used properly. However, according to government data, many are not. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) shares this alarming statistic: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that 46 percent of all child car seats are misused. But they can make a huge difference in whether a child survives a crash. According to NHTSA, child car seats in passenger vehicles can reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers.
Click here for the NHTSA guide to finding the right car seat →
Texas Statistics
In 2021, TxDOT says 78 children younger than 8 years old died in traffic crashes in Texas, and 22 of those were unrestrained at the time of the crash. In the older 8–12 age group, in 2021, 36 died in traffic crashes, with 13 of them unrestrained at the time of the crash.
Texas law requires all children under 8 — unless they are taller than 4 feet, 9 inches — to be in a car seat whenever they ride in a passenger vehicle. Failure to properly restrain a child can result in a ticket of up to $250. Children under age 13 should ride in the back seat, properly secured in a seat belt or safety seat.
Free car seat installation help is available year round for parents. TxDOT offers help for parents and caregivers at SaveMeWithASeat.org. It offers TxDOT Traffic Safety Specialists and free car seat safety checks in their area based on zip codes.
Nissan Snug Kids Program
Nissan is chiming in on car seat safety this month, too. Its Snug Kids program, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is warning of the risk of using used, expired or counterfeit child safety seats, saying:
- Buying low-cost car seats from unverified or secondhand sources puts children at risk of a counterfeit or damaged seat
- Caregivers should also be mindful that car seats have expiration dates
Nissan shares this advice from the American Association of Automobiles (AAA):
"Don't install a used seat, an expired seat, or a seat that's been in a collision, and make sure it was tested according to federal standards," said Robert Sinclair Jr, senior manager of public affairs at AAA. "It's also crucial to make sure you're using a car seat correctly to keep your child safe in a crash. If installed properly, the car seat should not be able to move more than an inch in any direction at the belt path and there should be no slack if you pinch the strap at the child's shoulder," said Sinclair.
Nissan says its safety engineers have spent thousands of hours evaluating hundreds of child safety seats by installing them in the rear seats of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles. The result is the Snug Kids® Child Safety Seat Fit Guide.
"Nissan prioritizes passenger safety for all occupants," said Matthew Gapinski, senior manager, product safety engineering at Nissan. "Our Snug Kids team of certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians works directly with child seat manufacturers to make sure we are checking for a proper fit of their latest seat models in our vehicles."
Here are Nissans's 10 tips for parents with child passengers:
Click Here for the comprehensive CarPro Guide to Child Car Safety Seats →
