PennDOT and its safety partners are reminding parents and caregivers the importance of child passenger safety. The National Child Safety Week campaign runs from September 20 until September 26 and follows the theme this week is “In It to Win It – Safety Starts with the Right Seat.
“The first step to protecting children when riding in a vehicle is making sure they are properly buckled in each time to maximize the potential safety benefits in the event of a crash,” said Mike Tautin, a Community Traffic Safety Project Coordinator with the Highway Safety Network. “Car seats, booster seats, and seat belts are proven tools to save lives, but they must be used correctly to be effective.”
It was reported on the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP) that between 2021 to 2025 81%% of children under age four that were in a vehicle collision and were in the correct car seat sustained no injuries.
The following Pennsylvania laws are in place for proper car seats:
Birth to Age 2 – Must be secured in a rear-facing car seat.
Age 2 to 4 – Must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle and should be in a rear-facing seat until the child outgrows the maximum weight and height limits designated by the car seat manufacturer.
Ages 4 to 7 – Must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat and use a harness belt.
Ages 8 and 18 – Must be in a seat belt regardless of where they are seated in the vehicle.
Following installation of car seats drivers should register online here with the manufacture for updates on recalls and safety notices.
PennDOT does provide over 75 fitting stations where trained technicians can assess child safety seat for proper installation.
Several free events will be held throughout Pennsylvania and can be found online here.
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