Child Passenger Safety is important for protecting children in vehicles. Statistics show that unintentional injury is a leading cause of death for children ages 1-19 in the US. In 2014, over 602 children ages 12 and younger died in motor vehicle crashes, and many were not properly restrained. South Carolina data from 2013 found that 49% of child passengers were not properly restrained. It is recommended that children rear-face until age 1 and weighing 20 pounds, forward face from 1-5 years old and 20-40 pounds, and use a booster seat from ages 1-5 and 40-80 pounds. Common mistakes in child passenger safety include using an improperly installed or uninspected seat. Heatstroke from being

1. Child Passenger Safety
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2. The Facts
• Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death
and disability for children ages 1-19 in the United
States.
• Younger children, males, minorities, and children
living in poverty tend to suffer disproportionately.
• Children aged 4 and under are at a greater risk for
injury related death.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016
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3. Road Safety: National Statistics
• In the United States during 2014, 602 children
ages 12 years and younger died as occupants in
motor vehicle crashes, and more than 121,350
were injured.
• Of the children ages 12 years and younger who
died in a crash in 2014, 34% were not buckled up.
• A 2010 CDC study found that, in one year, more
than 618,000 children aged 0-12 rode in a motor
vehicle without the use of a child safety seat,
booster seat, or seat belt at least some of the
time.
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html
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4. Road Safety: South Carolina Statistics
• In 2013, SC DHEC DIVP conducted child
passenger safety audits across the state at 23
elementary schools:
• 49% of child passengers were not properly restrained
• 33.55 of child passengers left school completely
unrestrained
Source: https://www.scdhec.gov/library/CR-009900.pdf
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5. Did You Know?
• Child safety seats reduce the risk of death in
passenger cars by 71 percent for infants, and by
54 percent for toddlers ages 1 to 4 years.
• Does your child always ride safely secured?
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide
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6. Child Passenger Safety Recommendations
• Children from birth to 1 year old, or who weigh
less than 20 pounds, must be secured in a rear-
facing child safety seat.
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7. Child Passenger Safety Recommendations
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• Children 1-5 years old weighing 20-40 pounds
must be restrained in a forward facing child seat.

8. Child Passenger Safety Recommendations
• Children 1-5 years old weighing 40-80 pounds
must be restrained in a belt positioning booster
seat.
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9. Child Passenger Safety Recommendations
• Children under 6 may not sit in the front
passenger seat. However, this restriction does not
apply to vehicles with no rear passenger seat, or
if all rear seats are filled by children under 6 years
old.
• Children should not move to the front seat until
13 years old.
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10. Common Mistakes
• Getting a car seat without knowing it’s history.
• Placing the seat in the wrong spot.
• Loose harness, loose base.
• Using the seat as a crib-substitute.
• Reclining at the incorrect angle.
• Transitioning too quickly.
• Dressing child in bulky outerwear.
• Toys… they can become projectiles.
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11. Heatstroke
• What is heatstroke?
• Also known as hyperthermia, is a condition that occurs
when the body isn’t able to cool itself quickly enough
and the body temperature rises to dangerously high
levels.
• Symptoms are: dizziness, seizures, nausea,
disorientation, confusion, irritability, loss of
consciousness, rapid heart beat or hallucinations.
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12. Why is Heatstroke a Problem?
• Children are at greater risk for this because they
do not thermo-regulate as well as adults.
• Internal organs shut down at 104 degrees.
• Death can occur at 107 degrees.
• Within 10 minutes, the inside temperature of a
vehicle can be up to 20 degrees hotter than the
outside temperature; after 30 minutes the
temperature inside can be 34 degrees hotter than
outside.
Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, 2014
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13. Heatstroke
• Only 20 states have laws specifically addressing
leaving a child unattended in vehicle.
• Another 14 states have had previously proposed
unattended child laws.
• 2015: 24 child vehicular heatstroke deaths
• REMEMBER TO ACT!
• AVOID
• CREATE REMINDERS (put your purse in the back seat)
• TAKE ACTION
Source: noheatstroke.org
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14. Child Passenger Safety
• Keeping your child in a vehicle is important,
whether they are of driving age or not.
• Ensure they are properly secured for every ride,
every time.
• Unsure about what seat is appropriate for your child?
• Safe Kids Upstate can help!
• Go online to www.safekidsupstate.org and use our Child
Passenger Safety page to make a car seat inspection
appointment.
• Don’t leave children unattended in a car, EVER.
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