Child Passenger Safety Week Countdown
We have been counting down to a special event – and we hope you are too! We are less than one month away from Child Passenger Safety Week which takes place from September 18 – 24 this year!
Historically, car related fatalities are a leading cause of death for children in the United States. According to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) on average, two children under 13 were killed and an estimated 374 were injured every day in 2019 while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans.
On top of that, motor-vehicle crashes continue to be the #1 cause of death for teens in the United States, as 2,142 teens were killed in car accidents in 2018 alone.
As Child Passenger Safety Week approaches, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) emphasizes further that you need to be aware of other dangers in and around your vehicle that could seriously harm or even kill a child. Some of the most common dangers include:
- Heatstroke: The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that over the past 24 years, more than 900 children, across 47 U.S. states, have died in hot car or car heatstroke related accidents. One of the leading causes of non-crash-related fatalities among children, a core body temperature of about 107 degrees is lethal. To raise awareness, check out this Heatstroke Thermometer.
- Power Windows: Injuries often occur with power windows when children close a window on their finger, wrist, or hand; fatalities occur when children are strangled by power windows.
- Seat Belt Entanglement: Entanglement can occur when a seat belt is pulled all the way out and wrapped around a head, neck, or waist by a child. This can occur with a seat belt being used or an unused belt in the next seat.
Leading up to Child Passenger Safety Week, I’m Safe! is also offering a “CPS meme of the week” which is a complimentary and customizable resource you can download and start using today. To browse the latest memes, click here!
