A new campaign has rolled this week, which raises awareness about child passenger safety.
Laura Dunn, a Highway Safety Specialist, says National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that crashes are a leading cause of death for children between one and 14 years old. In Ohio, in 2022, 42 children were killed in traffic crashes.
Dunns adds this year’s awareness campaign, for National Child Passenger Safety Week, is “Love Protects”.
“To really remind parents and caregivers that loving and protecting their children means making sure that they are in the right car seat for their age and size. We really encourage kids in your life be buckled up in the right seat, in the back seat until the age of 13, and parents and caregivers, everybody in the car, to buckle up to get safely to your destination.”
Dunn recommends parents become educated about the best car seat for their child’s age, height, and weight, as well as, how to install the different seats properly.
“In fact, about half of all car seats are not correctly installed, so we want to encourage parents to go the extra mile and make sure that their kids are in the right seats and their seats are installed correctly.”
More details on safety, including what seat is right for a child, can be found at www.nhtsa.gov/TheRightSeat.
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