Amid the observance of National Child Passenger Safety Week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is putting the spotlight on a crucial component of child care: the proper securing of our younger citizens during every car trip. The campaign's theme, "Secure Their Future – One Ride at a Time," strikes directly at the heart of the initiative, underscoring the critical importance of selecting and correctly using the appropriate car seats to shield children from harm on the road.
Vehicle incidents, as highlighted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), are unfortunately still the top cause of fatalities among children over the age of four. Reflecting on these unsettling statistics, PennDOT reports that in 2023, daily, an average of two children under 14 lost their lives and another 345 suffered injuries in traffic crashes while riding in passenger vehicles across the country. Even more alarming, 43% of those children killed in vehicle crashes were found not to have been restrained at all.
According to Mike Tautin, a Community Traffic Safety Project Coordinator with the Highway Safety Network, "Parents and guardians have countless responsibilities when caring for children. One of the most important decisions they can make is to always ensure children are properly buckled up." As per a PennDOT release, a vast majority, 82%, of children under age 4 who were restrained in an appropriate child seat during crashes in Pennsylvania sustained no injuries from 2020 to 2024.
Trooper Todd Bingman of the Pennsylvania State Police noted a troubling trend in an interview with PennDOT: "The full benefits of seat belts and car seats can only be seen when they are used appropriately. At times, we encounter children in car seats that have been installed incorrectly and that can put the child at risk for serious harm if they are involved in a crash." Under Pennsylvania's law, young passengers are required to be placed in restraint systems appropriate for their age, ranging from rear-facing car seats for the youngest ones to booster seats and seat belts for older children and teens.
Motorists are encouraged to register car seats with their manufacturers, which helps in receiving updates on recalls and safety notices. Assistance with ensuring that child safety seats are correctly installed is available at numerous fitting stations across Pennsylvania, funded by PennDOT. These resources can be accessed through the PA TIPP fitting station directory or searching NHTSA’s car seat inspection site to find nearby help.
