According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a child under the age of 13 is involved in a car accident every 34 seconds. Sadly, more than a third of the children who were killed in a wreck were not in car seats or wearing a seat belt.
How Is the NHTSA Trying to Increase Car Safety?
Fortunately, to help combat these gloomy statistics, the NHTSA announced in early September that it launched a new Car Seat Finder Tool.
This online tool aims at helping parents select the correct car seat or booster seat for their child.
Selecting the proper car seat for your child is the first line of defense in the event of a car crash. However, parents should also make sure to register their car seat, because they will receive a notification in case of a recall.
How Many Car Seats or Booster Seats Have Been Recalled in 2014?
The NHTSA has put pressure on car seat manufacturers to recall and fix defects free of charge to consumers. Its efforts have resulted in 7.4 million car seats being recalled in 2014. Unfortunately, only 40 percent of people have their car seat fixed.
The NHTSA offers some additional tips for parents:
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- Use the Car Seat Finder Tool to find the right car seat for your child.
- Read the vehicle manual on the proper placement of a car seat.
- Read the instructions for the child’s car seat.
- Register your child’s car seat with the manufacturer.
- Make sure all children under the age of 13 are seated and properly restrained in the back seat.
Source: http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2014/NHTSA-launches-car-seat-finder-tool