(NAPSA)—'There’s good news, bad news and great news about children and safety on the road. The good news is that car seats, booster seats and seatbelts save lives. In fact, in 2015, car seats saved thelives of an estimated 248children underage 5. ‘The bad newsis every day in Amer- ica, too many children ride in car seats that have been installed incorrectly, or are riding in the wrongcarseats for their ages andsizes. Somechildren even ride while completely unsecured. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 59 percent of car seats are not installed correctly. Ev- ery 33 secondsin 2015, a child under the age of 13 was involved in a crash. On av- erage, two children under 13 werekilled and 319 children were injured every day in 2015 while riding in cars, SUVs, pick- ups and vans. The great news is that when used correctly, car seats reduce therisk of fa- tal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers. For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corre- sponding reductions were 58 percent and 59 percent, respectively. By law,all children must be buckled up in appropriate car seats or booster seats while ridingin cars. During Keeping Kids Safe Child Passenger Safety Week, September 17-23, 2017, many communities will have Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians on hand to provide training on how to use car seats, booster seats and seat belts for children. While most parents are confident they've correctly installed their child’s car seat, many havenot. What's more, according to NHTSA data, in 2015, about 25.8 percent ofchil- dren 4 to 7 were prematurely moved to seat belts, when they should have been riding in booster seats. Technicians Using car seats and boosters that are age and size appropriate is the best way to keep your children safe. can also help educate consumers about choosingthe right car seat for their child, the importanceofregisteringthat carseat with its manufacturer, and whatto expect if the seat is subjectto a safety recall. Anyone driving with a child in the car should read and carefully follow the installation instructions included with a car seat as well as the vehicle owner's manual. NHTSA recommends keeping children in rear-facing car seats as long as possible, up to the car seat’s top height or weight limit. Then, it’s time for a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether. After outgrowing this car seat, the child should ride in a booster seat until he or she is the right size to use a seat belt safely. For a seatbeltto fit properly, the lap belt mustlie across the upper thighs, not the stomach, and the shoulderbelt should be snug across the shoulder and chest, not the neck orface. Whether they are in a car seat, a booster seat, or buckled in their seat belt, children under 13 should always ride in the backseat because it’s safer there. Learn More Parents and caregivers can view more information on car seat safety and locate a certified child passenger safety technician at www.NHTSA.gov/ ‘TheRightSeat.
