New Child Seat Program Aims to Reduce Injuries

As any Michigan family with small children will likely tell you, kids can be hard to restrain. Nowhere is containment more important, however, than in a motor vehicle. Young children face a high risk of injury in an automobile accident unless they are properly restrained in a safe and effective child seat. But with so many makes and models of child seat on the market, many parents face a difficult decision between price and quality.

According to a recent study, motor vehicle crashes result in more deaths among children than any other cause. Thousands of Michigan children are injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents every year. This heartbreaking toll has resulted in a number of local, state, and federal responses.

A new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) program aims to provide parents with the information they need to reduce the risk of injury to their children. While all child seats are supposed to meet federal safety regulations, the seats vary widely in their ease of use. The new NHTSA rating program evaluates child seats based on the features offered in a particular class of restraints.

A new website and a snappy five-star rating system will only go so far, however. Michigan families who want to prevent injury to their children should check with their local child seat inspection station to ensure a safe and proper fit. Don’t wait until you actually become involved in an automobile accident to find out if your child seat is properly installed.

Automobile accidents are dangerous and often tragic, but many injuries can be avoided. Michigan families should take the time to ensure their precious cargo is safe and sound in an appropriate child seat.