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2026-09-22 19:03 UTC → 2026-09-23 20:55 UTC ·
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During As National Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs Week continues through September 26, various state and local agencies across the United States are launching new initiatives and data have emerged to improve child combat widespread car seat installation and usage. misuse. In New York, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is providing North Carolina, ECU Health has partnered with local law enforcement, fire/rescue agencies, and Safe Kids North Carolina to provide free statewide inspections by certified technicians, noting that an estimated 80% to 90% of car seats are installed incorrectly. Similarly, Pennsylvania’s PennDOT and the Highway education in Greenville. Safety Network are promoting proper restraint, citing data experts in the state noted that 81% of properly used seats can reduce death risks by up to 71 percent, highlighting the urgency after 231 children under age four 14 were killed in correct seats sustained no injuries during collisions between 2021 and 2025. In California, the Huntington Beach Police Department is hosting check-up events to instruct caregivers on the use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts. North Carolina motor vehicle crashes last year, many without proper restraint. In Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is has launched the ‘Love My Car Seat’ campaign, offering free safety checks and hands-on education no-cost inspections at district TxDOT offices. These efforts follow This follows national data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicating that 46% approximately 46 percent of child car seats are misused or incorrectly installed. As the week progresses, new data highlights the scale of misuse. AAA Texas law requires children under 8 to use a safety or booster seat unless they meet specific height requirements, with non-compliance fines reaching up to $250. These efforts build on previous reports from AAA, which found that 86.5% of children evaluated by technicians had already moved transitioned to adult seat belts prematurely. In prematurely, and findings from North Dakota, officials reported that Dakota where up to 75% of checked car seats were used incorrectly, specifically citing issues with incorrectly regarding harnesses, tether straps, and lower anchors. In response, agencies Agencies in Texas, California, Delaware, and Delaware Texas continue to promote safety education and free checkup events to ensure caregivers adhere to manufacturer guidelines regarding for height, weight, and seat orientation. To address these trends, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council have launched the “They Grow. You Check.” campaign. This initiative urges caregivers to regularly re-evaluate restraints as children grow, emphasizing that height and weight limits are often more critical than age.