Child Passenger Safety Week 2020

“Buckle Up – Every Age, Every Stage”

September 20-26, 2020 (Child Passenger Safety Week) / September 26, 2020 (National Seat Check Saturday)

Every 32 seconds in 2018, one child under the age of 13, in a passenger vehicle, was involved in a crash. Many times, injuries and deaths can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts.

Child Passenger Safety Week is designed to increase awareness about the importance of securing children as safely as possible – every trip, every time. The single most effective way to protect children, and all vehicle occupants, is to correctly buckle them in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt that is appropriate for their age and size. During this week, events will be planned to educate parents and caregivers on the correct selection and use of child restraints.

	Steps for Correct Car Seat Use
Selection	Select the car seat, booster seat, or seat belt based on the child’s age, weight, height, and developmental level. The car seat or booster seat must fit in the car and be used correctly every time.
Direction	Position the child rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. Pennsylvania law requires children to remain rear-facing until two years of age.
Location	Place the child in a vehicle back seat position that allows for correct use following the car seat manufacturer’s instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual.
Harness Adjustment and Fit	Secure the child with a snug harness. – Rear-facing: AT OR BELOW the child’s shoulders. – Forward-facing: AT OR ABOVE the child’s shoulders.
Installation	Install the car seat / booster seat correctly using the vehicle seat belt or Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH).

Every year, children are tragically injured or killed in car crashes. In fact, car crashes are a leading cause of death for children. On average, in 2018, nearly two children under 13 years of age were killed every day while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans. Approximately one-third (33%) of these children were not restrained in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt. Fatalities decreased from 2017 to 2018, but there is still more work to be done to eliminate these preventable tragedies.

The PA Traffic Injury Prevention Project has developed a Child Passenger Safety Week planner to assist you in your efforts to educate families in your community. Child passenger safety materials are also available upon request. Help us to get the word out about car seat checks and educational efforts being conducted by registering your events through the link below. Do not forget to share the success of your event by completing the data collection form through the link below.

Child Passenger Safety Week 2020 Planner
The planner includes child passenger safety information to use as you plan and promote your educational program or event in your community. The planner provides child safety seat and seat belt statistics, a sample press release, best practice safety messages, and educational resources. A synopsis of Pennsylvania’s Occupant Protection law addressing child passengers. Additional educational flyers are available upon request.

Download a PDF file of the 2020 Child Passenger Safety Week Planner here.

Register your Child Passenger Safety Week Event online!
Please join Pennsylvania in observing Child Passenger Safety Week 2020. Register your car seat check event scheduled during the week of September 20 – 26, 2020. These events will be shared with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The events will also be provided, upon request, for use in media releases to promote these community events. The events will also be posted on PA TIPP website calendar of events. PA TIPP does not need to be involved in the community car seat check event, we are merely compiling the list of events to be shared. If you are interested in receiving the list of events, please email aosterhuber@paaap.org.

Click here to register your event online.

Submit your Child Passenger Safety Week 2020 event data online!
Thank you for educating families on the correct selection and use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts during Child Passenger Safety Week 2020. You have helped to keep Pennsylvania’s children safe while traveling on our roadways. Please share your results with us so your effort dedicated to protecting children in your community can be recognized. Please submit your event data by October 9th, 2020. PA TIPP will compile the data from the events and document the successful outreach in each community. The list will be provided to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the National Highway traffic Safety Administration. Record your event online through the link below. Data can also be submitted by completing the form provided on the last page of the CPS Week planner.

Click here to submit your event data online.

Request Child Passenger Safety Materials for your Event
Educational Materials provide parents and caregivers information about child passenger safety best practice recommendations for the selection and use of car seats, belt-positioning booster seats and seat belts. Materials can be ordered through the link below. Materials can also be ordered by calling 1-800- CAR BELT, or by emailing aosterhuber@paaap.org. Please submit your requests early to guarantee delivery in time for your Child Passenger safety Week event.

Click here to request child passenger safety educational materials.

Child Passenger Safety Week 2020