As thousands of families take to the highways this Fourth of July weekend, the Safe and Sound department at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger wants to remind parents and caregivers to make safety a priority, said officials.

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading killer of children, in part because nearly a third of children ride in the wrong restraints for their age and size and four out of five child safety seats are used incorrectly.

Since January, 37 children have been treated at Children’s Hospital for injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes; more than half were not properly restrained.

New Tennessee Child Restraint Law
Any child under a year of age or weighing less than 20 pounds should ride in a rear-facing restraint in the rear seat, when available.

Children over a year old and more than 20 pounds should ride in a forward facing child restraint seat in the rear seat.

Any child aged four through eight, measuring less than five feet in height must be in a belt positioning booster seat in the rear seat, when available.

Children and youth ages nine through 17 must use a passenger restraint system.

National Statistics
In 2002, an estimated 227,000 children ages 14 and under were injured as occupants in motor vehicle-related crashes.

As of Jan. 1, 2004, 141 children have been killed by passenger air bags. Approximately 92 percent of these deaths were among children either unrestrained or improperly restrained at the time of the crash, including 23 infants in rear-facing child safety seats in front of a passenger air bag.

Seventy-five percent of motor vehicle crashes occur within 25 miles of home.

Incorrect use of child safety seats is widespread. Although 96 percent of parents believe they install and use their child safety seats correctly, it is estimated that 82 percent of child safety seats are not installed and used correctly.

Prevention Tips
Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip.

Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a back seat.

Never put a rear-facing child in a front seat with an active frontal air bag.

Choose the right child safety seat or safety belt for your child’s size and age.

Install and use your child safety seat or safety belt according to the manufacturer’s instructions and your vehicle owner’s manual.

Ensure your child safety seat has not been recalled.

The Safe and Sound Department along with the Tennessee State Troopers, Catoosa County Police and the Hamilton County Police departments joined together for car seat checks at the I-75 Welcome Center on Wednesday, June 30, to emphasize the new child restraint law which becomes effective July 1.

Safe and Sound is a prevention service of T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital and is an affiliate of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, the first and only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury – the number one killer of children ages 14 and under.

For a complete list of car seat safety tips as well as other summer safety tips visit www.erlanger.org.