September Law of the Month: Child Passenger Safety
In 2023, a child under 13 was injured or killed in a driving-related crash every five hours in Wisconsin. Proper seat belt and car seat usage can save children’s lives.
The Wisconsin State Patrol’s September Law of the Month is child passenger safety, to help families and caregivers keep their precious cargo out of harm’s way.
“Making sure children are as secure as possible on the road should always be a top priority,” Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan said. “That means buckling up every trip, selecting the right car or booster seat for the child’s size and age, and ensuring it’s installed correctly.”
When a car seat is installed and used correctly, it can reduce the risk of death in a crash by as much as 71%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Protect children with the right seat as they grow
Approximately half of all car seats are not correctly installed, according to data from NHTSA. Choosing the right car seat for the child’s age and size and following the installation instructions in the car seat manual and vehicle owner’s manual will help keep your child safe.
According to Wisconsin state law, children must ride in a:
- Rear-facing car seat until they are one year old and weigh 20 pounds
- Forward-facing car seat with a harness until they are four years old and weigh 40 pounds
- Booster seat until they are eight years old, or weigh 80 pounds or are 4’9”
Moving children to the next type of car seat before they’re ready leaves them vulnerable in a crash. More car seat safety recommendations for various ages and sizes are available online.
Once the car seat is installed, be sure the child is safely secured with the harness every trip.
Wisconsin’s seat belt safety laws
About 8% of Wisconsin motorists do not wear a seat belt, while approximately 50% of motorist fatalities in Wisconsin are unbelted.
Seat belt use is required by law in Wisconsin for all vehicle drivers and passengers, including children. It is also one of the best preventions against serious harm in the event of a crash.
“Lead by example to keep everyone safe on the road,” Carnahan said. “Set the expectation that everyone should put their seat belt on as soon as they get in the vehicle.
WisDOT encourages people of all ages to promise to protect themselves and others on the roads by always wearing a seat belt and taking the Buckle Up Phone Down pledge.
Free resources
The Wisconsin State Patrol is hosting open house events throughout the state in September and October. Certified car seat technicians will be on-site at many of these events offering car seat safety guidance. Visit the Wisconsin State Patrol’s Facebook page for dates and locations.
National Seat Check Saturday is September 21. Certified Child Passenger Safety technicians will be available in communities across Wisconsin to demonstrate how to use car seats, booster seats and seat belts correctly.
Child Passenger Safety Week is September 15-21, 2024. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation encourages all families to take this time to review best practices to keep your child safe.
Additional resources are available for parents on the Safe Kids Wisconsin and NHTSA websites, including frequently asked questions, car seat tips and videos.
View the September Law of the Month video and news release online: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/law/lom.aspx
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