Child Passenger Safety Week 2022
September 18-24, 2022 (Child Passenger Safety Week) / September 24, 2022 (National Seat Check Saturday)
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children, and the latest research from NHTSA shows that 46% of car seats are misused. The best way to reduce crash fatalities among children is to always select a car seat, belt-positioning booster seat, or lap and shoulder seat belt based on the child’s age and size. Correctly installing a car seat and proper adjustment and fit of the harness or seat belt will improve a child’s safety when traveling. Data from crashes that occurred in 2020 found that more than a third of the children ages 12 and younger who died in cars, pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs were unbuckled. Never let your children ride unbuckled—the consequences could be devastating.
Child Passenger Safety Week raises awareness for the need to secure children safely, 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. Car seat check events provide hands-on guidance on the correct selection, installation and use of the appropriate car seat, booster seat, or seat belt based on a child’s age, weight, height, and developmental needs.
Best practice is for all vehicle passengers to be secured in a car seat, belt-positioning booster seat, or seat belt that is appropriate for their size. Parents and caregivers are role models for children and by wearing a seat belt, children learn the importance of buckling up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found:
- When a driver is buckled, children are restrained 92% of the time.
- When the driver is unbuckled, children are restrained about 68% of the time.
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 2022 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 2022 Child Passenger Safety Week Planner here.
Register your Child Passenger Safety Week Event online!
Please join Pennsylvania in observing Child Passenger Safety Week 2022. Register your car seat check event scheduled during the week of September 18 – 24, 2022. 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 2022 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 2022. 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 September 30th, 2022. 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.