Welcome to Child Passenger Safety Week | Legal News | News Ticker

Children riding in vehicles need protection from injury or worse, and this protection minimizes the chances that they will be harmed not only in an accident, but as a result of any sudden movements taken by the driver at any given time. Unfortunately, not everyone makes sure that their children are safe from harm by way of providing them with proper restraints and taking other safety measures. Several groups are continuing in their attempts to bring awareness to this child passenger safety issue, and the week of September 19 – September 25 is the National Child Passenger Safety Week.

Child Passenger Safety Recommendations

The National Transportation Safety Board is responsible for promoting safety on the nation’s roads, and they specifically lay out four different types of safety measures that should be taken with children of different ages and different sizes. Specifically, these four stages/recommended devices include:

1. Rear-facing child safety seats – It is recommended that in general, children under 2 years old should be put in safety seats that face the rear of the vehicle in order to push any impact the passenger feels onto the back of the seat.
2. Forward-facing child safety seats – After a child reaches about 2 years of age, it’s commonly accepted that a child can be placed in a child safety seat that faces the front of the vehicle.
3. Booster seats – When children reach about the age of 4, most recommendations include placing the child in a booster seat so that a seat belt will not put their necks or heads at risk when they lock into place.
4. Safety belts – Finally, when a child reaches about the age of 8, it’s generally advisable to allow them to ride with only a seat belt.

Ultimately, some parents, even with the best intentions, seem to improperly place their children in the wrong positions, place them in improper safety devices or fail to provide them with a booster seat. Police officers in several departments in Arizona are attempting to help bring awareness to these issues during this week, but child safety is an issue that should be heavily considered all year.

Arizona Car Accident Lawyers

Unfortunately, despite all of these recommended measures, children are still injured at a regular rate in Arizona car accidents. If your child has been harmed in such a circumstance, seek the help of Arizona car accident lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of injured children for many years. Contact Phillips Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.