As parents, we all want the best for our little ones, and it's important to ensure their safety, especially when they're out on the road. This Child Passenger Safety Week (CPSW) is a great opportunity to:
- double-check your car seat regulations,
- brush up on the latest advice,
- and make sure that your kids are doing alright with the new releases of 2023 in terms of technology updates!
With special tips from child passenger safety technicians and new products made exclusively for child passenger safety, this CPSW will be an eye-opener event for any parent out there looking to provide secure transportation methods for their children.
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National Child Passenger Safety Week for all parents!
Suppose you want to know more about the proper use of child restraints, car seat inspection, and other safety regulations.
In that case, you can visit child passenger safety week and find all the safety standards for your little ones and different child restraints. Let's see the main information.
What is a CPSW?
Child Passenger Safety Week is an annual event that takes place during the third week of September. Last year, Child Passenger Safety Week took place from September 18-24, 2022, and National Seat Check Saturday was held on September 24th.
It is a time to raise awareness about properly securing children in car seats and seat belts. During this week, parents and caregivers are encouraged to learn more about car seat safety and make sure their children are properly buckled up before every ride.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides resources and materials to help spread the word about Child Passenger Safety Week. Additionally, Safe Kids Worldwide Coalition members host events nationwide to help parents learn how to install and use their car seats correctly.
History of the CPSW
The first Child Passenger Safety Week was held in September 2002, and since then, it has become a popular event for parents, caregivers, and safety advocates.
During this week, organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide resources on how to properly install car seats and booster seats, as well as information on other child safety topics.
Additionally, many states hold events during Child Passenger Safety Week, such as car seat check-up events or educational seminars.
Parents need to understand that car crashes are a leading cause of death for children under thirteen years old. Therefore, they must make sure their child's car seat or booster seat is installed correctly and used every time they travel with their child in the car. Doing so can help reduce the risk of injury or death in an accident.
What is a National Seat Check Day?
Each year on the fourth Saturday in September, National Seat Check Saturday is held to promote child safety and raise awareness about the correct protocols when using car seats.
This event was established by the NHTSA due to the increasing number of car accidents involving children. The numbers could have been reduced had the parents used child safety seats properly. Parents and caregivers need to provide proper security for their child passengers at all times when traveling.
History of the National Seat Check Saturday
The National Safety Council in the United States has developed the National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program. The car seat program is essential for Certified Child Passenger Technicians and Instructors.
This program focuses on three major risks that child passengers may face — improperly used or installed safety seats, cars becoming too hot, and teen drivers. The car seat program presents a nationwide standardized curriculum and a national certification process to address these challenges.
In 1993, the National Child Passenger Safety Board was established, with representatives from car seat manufacturers, injury prevention officers, and national and local organizations. This board then oversaw the creation of the first standardized safety certification curriculum in 1998.
Safe Ride News is a publishing company based in America that creates educational materials for child passenger safety. In 2008, they released an extensive 44-year timeline that looked at events such as physician protests for better automotive safety and changes in school bus seating standards.
Why is Check Day for car seats important?
National Seat Check Saturday is vital in keeping our children safe and secure during any form of transportation. It not only makes the journey more relaxed for both the parent and child passenger, but it also encourages us always to be aware of what's happening around us on the road and in cars.
By partaking in this event, we are taking an important step in ensuring that everyone (especially children) is safe while traveling in the right car seat in the vehicle.
How to observe the program?
To observe National Seat Check Saturday, it is important to become informed about the safety protocols for child passengers. Look up information online and read them carefully before embarking on a journey with young passengers.
Additionally, spread awareness by sharing safety instructions and information on social media. Lastly, register your car seats and booster seats with the manufacturer to ensure any potential defects are fixed promptly.
Can parents learn how to solve seat belt entanglement?
Parents can learn everything they must know about the child passenger safety on the road and how to use the child restraints correctly. Various child passenger safety technicians will demonstrate how to properly use and install car seats and generate awareness about the child passenger safety standards in your community.
In addition, the technicians will guide you on how to select the right car seat if you're a parent-to-be or find the best rear-facing car seat, forward-facing car seat, or even a booster seat if you're not sure how to find the right seat for your child's future properly.
But, if you cannot visit child passenger safety week and need another way to find a Certified Car Seat Technician, you can visit the official website here.
Crucial facts about child passenger safety on the road
It is a sad reality that every day, car accidents are claiming the lives of young children and causing injury to 374 more. However, correctly installed car seats can significantly reduce this risk by up to 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.
Implementing child safety seat laws throughout all states has saved 35% of fatalities since its adoption. Despite this, over 50% of car seats are still not being used or installed properly, making it the leading cause of death among kids in the US.
To prevent the death rate in children, the NHTSA safety experts strongly urge parents to restrain kids in the correct car seat or seat belt system and ensure maximum safety standards in the vehicle. The AAP also urges parents to follow the age and development of the kids and not rush to place kids in the next-level seats or seat belts if they are not ready.
So, you must follow the official car seat laws, safety standards, and car seat laws to properly restrain one or two children or more kids in your vehicle, according to their age. If not, the kids will suffer severe injuries and fatal outcomes from early seat belts or inappropriate car seat uses.
Final words
As you can observe, the CPSW and the NSCS are two crucial events that promote a healthy environment and maximum safety standards for children passengers on the road.
If you have even the slightest doubts about the possibility to install and use child restraints following your children's age, it would be best to visit child passenger safety week and get the proper guidelines to form the CPSTs. They are the most qualified experts to guide you in the process.
