1. Protecting Our Young Riders
Child Restraints
Protecting Our Young Riders
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Name
Prosecuting Attorney

2. National Alarming Facts
Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under.
In 2016, 3 children (ages 14 and under) were killed every day.
In 2016, of the 37,461 motor vehicle fatalities in the US, 3% or 1,233 children were killed.
Facts obtained from NHTSA’s –Traffic Safety Facts Children: Data. Updated in 2018 by Charlotte Kilvington, Office of Highway Safety Planning (Analysis and Evaluation Coordinator)

3. National Alarming Facts
In 2016, 258 children were killed in a motor vehicle crash under the age of 3.
In 2016, 35% of the children under age 3 killed were totally unrestrained!
Booster seats work by positioning the adult belt properly on the child so that the lap belt is low on the hips and the shoulder belt across the shoulder.
Facts obtained from NHTSA’s –Traffic Safety Facts Children: Data. Updated in 2018 by Charlotte Kilvington, Office of Highway Safety Planning (Analysis and Evaluation Coordinator)

4. Alarming Facts
In Michigan, in 2016, 18 children (0-14 years) were killed in motor vehicle crashes.
In Michigan in 2016, 4 children under the age of 4 were killed in motor vehicle crashes.
Facts from Michigan Traffic Crash Facts. Updated in 2016 by Charlotte Kilvington, Office of Highway Safety Planning (Analysis and Evaluation Coordinator)
Note, it is correct that nationally the age is 14 and under and in Michigan it is 15 and under. They use different ages in the studies.

5. Alarming Facts
Misuse of child safety seats is widespread. In Michigan, 74 percent of all child restraints are improperly used, needlessly exposing children to an increased risk of death or injury.
Misuse includes such things as an inappropriate seat for the child’s age and size, placing an infant in a forward-facing seat, not securing the seat tightly in the vehicle and not securing the child correctly.
Facts from 2015 Michigan State University Direct Observation Study of Child Restraints: Use and Misuse. Provided by Charlotte Kilvington OHSP

6. Proper Restraints are Necessary
Infants should ride in rear-facing car seats as long as possible, until they are at least 24 months old and reach the maximum weight determined by the car seat manufacturer.
Children who are at least 2 years old and 40 pounds and can no longer ride rear-facing should ride in forward-facing car seats secured with a harness.
Children more than 40 pounds should be correctly secured in belt-positioning booster seats or other appropriate child restraints until the adult lap and shoulder belts correctly fit.
These are the recommendations from NHTSA and the American Pediatric Association.
It is what is recommended by all child safety groups. The studies affirm these recommendations. For example, putting a child that weighs 45 pounds in the back seat and using the adult seat belt system increases his or her risk of injury. Seat belts are designed with a larger person in mind. The strap doesn’t fit properly and thus doesn’t protect a child.
Children ages 2 to 5 who are restrained in adult safety belts are three and a half times more likely to suffer a serious injury, and more than four times likely to suffer a serious head injury, than children of the same ages who are restrained in child safety seats.
Additionally, no matter the circumstances, it is recommended that children are never placed in the front seat.
Updated by Charlotte Kilvington, Office of Highway Safety Planning. Lori Howard, CPS Coordinator OHSP consulted on new recommendations.

7. Common Excuses and the Facts
Excuse: I’m only going a short distance. No need to buckle my child.
Fact: 75% of motor vehicle crashes occur within 25 miles of home. 60% of crashes occur on roads with posted speed limits of 40 mph or less.
Note: Don’t forget you have no control of the other drivers on the road.
These facts are from National Safe KIDS Campaign web site: Injury Facts.

8. Common Excuses and the Facts
Excuse: I’m holding my child, so there is no need to use a child restraint or safety belt for him or her.
Fact: If you are holding a child in your lap at the time of the crash, the resulting force will increase dramatically. A child weighing 20 pounds in a car traveling at a speed of 30 mph would have a moving force equal to 600 pounds. Can you hold 600 pounds while in a crash?

9. Common Excuses and the Facts
Excuse: There’s no need to use a safety belt for my child, there is an airbag.
Fact: As of 2010, 184 children have been killed by passenger air bags.  
Several of these deaths were among children either unrestrained or improperly restrained at the time of the crash, including infants in rear-facing child safety seats in front of a passenger air bag.
Children under 12 should ride in the back seat to prevent serious injury or death from the strong force of airbag deployment. These facts are from “Car Seat Safety: Airbags,” June 2008.

10. Common Excuses and the Facts
Excuse: She thinks she’s too big to be in a car seat.
Fact: Adult safety belts are not designed for a child under 8 or less than 4’ 9” tall. Using an adult belt could increase the child’s risk of serious injury.

11. In a child restraint seat
It’s the Law
AGE
FRONT SEAT
REAR SEAT
Up to age 4
In a child restraint seat
Ages 4 to 8
AND
UNDER 4’9” IN HEIGHT
This chart points out what Michigan law requires. This doesn’t mean that more shouldn’t be done to protect our children. However, the one concern by Child Safety Seat advocates is that the law should look at weight, not the age. It is the weight and size that determines what is proper for a child.
Additionally, no matter the circumstances, it is recommended that children are never placed in the front seat.

12. It’s the Law (cont). AGE FRONT SEAT REAR SEAT Ages 4 to 8 AND
4’9” OR GREATER IN HEIGHT OR
Ages 8 to 15
In a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt
16 years and older
Driver and front seat passenger-seat belts required
Recommended

13. What you can do
Never place a child seat in front of an active air bag.
Don’t use a second-hand child car seat. You don’t know the seat’s history.
Destroy any child car seat that has been used in a vehicle that was in a collision.
NOTE: Currently, NHTSA has come out and said that child seats may be used after a MINOR traffic crash. However, Michigan Safe Kids and MDCH are still advising Michigan motorists to NOT re-use the seats. There is not real way to determine after a crash if it is still usable. Trying to “eyeball” the seat just doesn’t work.
Additionally, no matter the circumstances, it is recommended that children are never placed in the front seat.

14. What you can do
Make sure you use the proper child restraint for your child. Look at both the age and height of the child.
Read and follow the car seat instructions carefully and completely !
Check with your police agency. Many agencies now have certified child passenger safety technicians to assist in ensuring your child restraint is properly secured.