From 2005 to 2009, almost 20 percent of children ages 12 and younger killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes were Latino.
That’s according to statistics compiled by LatinaLista, a national media partner of CTLatinoNews.com. Together we bring you this important consumer story in recognition of National Child Passenger Safety Week.
LatinaLista reports, “One of the main reasons why so many Latino children are killed in car accidents is because parents tend to move them out of car seats and booster seats before they’re ready. Though the kids may whine and complain about being in a car seat, it’s obvious that parents are doing them no favor by treating them like ‘big’ kids.”
Sept. 22, 2012 has been designated National Seat Check Saturday (click link for locations nearest you).. On this day, parents, nationwide, can drive to a car seat inspection station where experts will provide car seat checks and hands-on advice to parents and caregivers about selecting the right car seat for a child’s age and size as well as how to properly strap it into the car. Locations of car seat inspection stations will be found on the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) web site.
NHTSA has created a web site in both English and Spanish. Both sites feature checklists of safety concerns, instructional videos (see below), and a rating system for car seat and booster seats.
This one-minute video shows how to handle when your children are no longer in booster seats.
Video, image courtesy of National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
