Child Passenger Safety Week 2022

September 18-24, is National Child Passenger Safety Week.  Jared Eaves, the Director of Planning and Programs with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety answers a popular question they get about child safety seats.  “As Child Passenger Safety Technicians we’re often asked when a child should change from riding in a rear-facing car seat into a forward-facing car seat.  When a child is rear-facing, their head, neck, and spinal cord are better protected.  For these reasons, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all infants and toddlers should ride in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer.  For more car seat safety tips about Child Passenger Week, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org for more information.”  Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children. On average, 2 children under 13 were killed and an estimated 374 were injured every day in 2019 while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans.  In 2019, 608 child passenger vehicle occupants died in traffic crashes and 38% of children who died were unrestrained, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  Car seat safety begins at home. Before leaving your house, make sure your child is in the right car seat for their age, weight, and height.