Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13, and one contributing factor is the failure to correctly use child passenger safety seats and booster seats. Alabama laws were implemented to protect children by requiring the use of car seats. Thanks to seat belt and car seat laws, a second generation of Alabama children is now protected while riding in vehicles.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, estimates of child restraint effectiveness indicate that child safety seats reduce the risk of injury by 71 to 82 percent and reduce the risk of death by 28 percent compared to children of similar ages in seat belts. Booster seats reduce the risk of nonfatal injury among 4- to 8-year-olds by 45 percent compared with seat belts. Despite this progress, each year, nearly 1,000 children younger than 16 years die in motor vehicle crashes in the United States.
Children riding in vehicles must be properly restrained at every stage of development. Children are more likely than adults to be injured because they have softer bones, larger heads, weaker neck muscles, and more fragile bodies.
Most injuries to children are the result of being thrown into a windshield or dashboard, crushed by an adult, or thrown from the vehicle. In the event of a crash, an unrestrained child becomes like a missile that is thrown with great force. Children under the age of 13 should always ride in the back seat of a vehicle.
Finding the right car seat and installing it correctly can be challenging. This website has information about the four car seat types and other recommendations based on a child’s age and size.
Well-intentioned parents often assume their child’s car seats are secure; however, four out of five children are improperly restrained in their safety seats. That’s the reason that the Alabama Department of Public Health makes child safety seat inspection stations available to help parents install car seats for younger children and babies. The department has certified child passenger safety technicians in several locations throughout the state who can, free of charge, check to make sure car seats are installed correctly and provide instructions on how to use and install a car seat themselves.
The program hosts monthly car seat clinics, available by appointment only, to educate caregivers, check car seats, and provide car seats to individuals who otherwise would not be able to obtain one. Pregnant women or parents receiving federal assistance through programs such as WIC, ALL Kids, SNAP, or Medicaid may be eligible for car seat assistance provided by the department.
In a pilot program that began in November, the department provides car and booster seats to caregivers who receive citations or written warnings for not having car seats for their children or improperly using child restraints. Caregivers must complete a self-paced car seat basic course to receive a seat at no charge. This program is only available for caregivers who were issued warnings or tickets in Calhoun, Montgomery, and St. Clair counties. For more information about this program, call (334) 206-5342.
For more information about car seats and the Alabama Child Restraint Law, visit ADPH Injury Prevention or call (334) 206-3359 and leave a voice mail message.
Scott Harris, M.D., M.P.H.
State Health Officer