Keeping Child Passengers Safe

Each day in the U.S., about 115 people die in automobile accidents. Last year, roughly 4 of those daily fatalities were children ages 14 or younger. To help lower this number, parents should make sure their children are as safe as possible when traveling, making certain that children under age 13 are properly buckled in the back seat.

The CDC recommends that children younger than 1 year be placed in a rear-facing safety seat that is properly secured in the back seat of the vehicle. Rear-facing seats should never be placed in the front seat of vehicles that have airbags. When a child exceeds the height or weight limit of a rear-facing seat, they should be placed in a forward-facing car seat in the back seat of the vehicle, according to the CDC’s guidelines. When this seat is outgrown, usually around age 4, a booster seat should be used in the back seat of the vehicle until around age 7. Until the child reaches age 13, they should remain in the back seat and use a safety belt that crosses both the lap and chest.

Child safety restraints saved the lives of nearly400 children 4 years old and under in 2007. For infants, car seats cut the risk of fatality by 71 percent in automobile accidents, and 54 percent for children ages 1 through 4. When a booster seat is used for children ages 4 through 7, the risk of injury is 59 percent lower than if only a safety belt was used.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile collision, call or e-mail us today. One of our experienced auto collision attorneys will evaluate your case free of charge and help you get the compensation you deserve. Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. serves clients with Bronx auto accident, Brooklyn auto accident, Queens auto accident and Long Island auto accident cases.

Call us toll-free, 1-877-ASK4SAM and visit www.ask4sam.net