NEW YORK, June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Car crashes are the leading cause of death among children ages three to 14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Half of the children who die in crashes are completely unrestrained.
(See video from General Motors at: http://media.medialink.com/WebNR.aspx?story=35234 )
Studies show that correctly used child safety seats are extremely effective, reducing the risk of death by as much as 71 percent. However, nearly 73 percent of restraints are not installed or used correctly. Safe Kids Buckle Up, the child passenger safety program of Safe Kids USA, provides child seat inspection and hands-on training for parents and caregivers across the country. Hitting a major milestone this year, the millionth seat was checked in Los Angeles, coinciding with car seat checkups around the country.
Safe Kids has state and local coalitions and chapters across the country and has distributed approximately 365,000 seats to families in need. Since the first seat was checked over a decade ago, statistics from the NHTSA show a 25 percent drop in fatalities for children under the age of five, saving the lives of 3,800 children.
To find the location of a Safe Kids Buckle Up event, visit http://www.usa.safekids.org/.
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