Learn How to Keep Your Precious Cargo Safe During Child Passenger Safety Week

Jackson, Miss. — One-third of children killed in car accidents are not in car seats, booster seats or seat belts. During Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs September 21-27, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is reminding parents and caregivers to place children in the proper age- and size-appropriate restraints, which cuts serious and fatal injuries by more than half.

Car seats reduce deaths by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers in passenger cars. It's vital to choose and use the right car seat correctly every time your child is in the car because it could mean the difference between life and death. In addition to your child's age and size, refer to your specific car seat manufacturer's instructions and read the vehicle owner's manual on installation.

Mississippi child passenger safety laws require that children younger than 4 years old use a safety seat or similar restraint. Children ages 4 to 6 years old must use a booster seat if they are shorter than 57 inches (4 feet, 9 inches) tall, or if they weigh less than 65 pounds. Adult seat belts may be used without a booster when the child reaches 7 years old, is at least 57 inches tall, or weighs at least 65 pounds.

Buckle Up Checklist

Birth-3 Years: Using a Rear-Facing Car Seat

• Keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible.
• Seats should be installed in the back seat of the car, and never in front of an airbag.
• Children should remain in a rear-facing seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the seat's manufacturer.

1-6 Years: Using a Forward-Facing Car Seat

• Once children outgrow a rear-facing car seat, they are ready to travel in a forward-facing seat with a harness and tether.
• Install it in the back seat. Children may only be placed in the front seat of a vehicle if all rear seats are occupied by other children. Be sure to move your vehicle's seat as far back as possible.
• Children should remain in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer.

4-12 Years: Using a Booster Seat

• Keep children in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly.
• For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach; and the shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest, not the neck or face.
• Children under 13 should still ride in the back seat because it is safer there.

13 and up: Seatbelt

• Teenagers should wear lap and shoulder belts in every seating position in a motor vehicle.
• A seat belt will properly fit a child when they reach 4 feet, 9 inches tall, typically between the ages of 8 and 12.
• Out-of-position lap belts can cause serious injuries to the spine, liver, spleen or intestines.

MSDH and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offer several resources aimed at ensuring the safety of child passengers, including the following:

If you would like help installing your car seat, a certified technician can either inspect it or show you how to correctly install and use it. To find a certified inspector near you, visit www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats#installation-help-inspection

Before hitting the road with your child, check for recalls for your car at checktoprotect.org and for your safety seats at www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

The Safe Riders Magnolia Dual Child Passenger Safety Program provides child passenger safety education and coordinates the distribution of child safety seats for those who qualify based on income. To see if you qualify for a free seat, please email us at injuryprevention@msdh.ms.gov

For more information on child passenger safety, including step-by-step installation videos, visit msdh.ms.gov/saferiders or call (601) 206-1010.