Child Passenger Safety

Reduce Their Risk

Photo: A father securing his child in a safety seat.

During National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 18—24, 2011, learn all you can do to keep your most precious cargo safe and locate a car seat inspection station in your area.

In 2009, 1,314 children ages 14 years and younger died in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 179,000 were injured. But parents and caregivers can make a lifesaving difference.

Whenever you're on the road, make sure your child passengers are buckled into appropriate safety seats. The safest place for children of any age to ride is properly restrained in the back seat. Data show that:

In 2008, restraint use saved the lives of 244 children ages 4 and younger. Child safety seats reduce the risk of death in car crashes by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers ages one to four.
For children ages 4 to 7, booster seats reduce injury risk by 59% compared to safety belts alone.

Children ages 12 and younger should always be buckled up and seated in the rear seat of vehicles. Infants in rear-facing car seats should never ride in the front seat of vehicles with airbags.

Know the Stages

Illustration: A father securing his child in a safety seat.

In an effort to raise parents' awareness about the leading causes of child injury in the United States and how they can be prevented, CDC launched the "Protect the Ones You Love" initiative. Parents can play a life-saving role in protecting children from injuries. Information is available in English and Spanish. Learn more.

Follow these guidelines for child passenger safety:

UNTIL AGE 1/20 LBS - For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of their particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 year and at least 20 pounds.

UNTIL AGE 4/40 LBS - When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least age 1 year and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).

UNTIL AGE 8 OR 4'9" TALL - Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when the children are 4'9" tall).

AFTER AGE 8 OR 4'9" TALL - When children outgrow their booster seats (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall), they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).

Remember: All children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat. Never place a child in the front seat facing an airbag.

CDC's online fact sheets on child passenger safety and road traffic injury prevention [PDF - 2.52MB] can help you learn more.

More Information

Podcasts on Child Passenger Safety

CDC works 24/7 saving lives, protecting people from health threats, and saving money to have a more secure nation. A US federal agency, CDC helps make the healthy choice the easy choice by putting science and prevention into action. CDC works to help people live longer, healthier and more productive lives.