INDIANAPOLIS — As the season for holiday travel commences, a national car seat safety program is urging parents to take proper precautions.
Buckle Up For Life spokeswoman Gloria Del Castillo says in Indiana in 2017, there were 26 children under the age of nine who died in car crashes.
“That’s 26 children too many so we’re trying to address it,” Del Castillo said. “Children should stay rear-facing for as long as possible until they reach the specified weight and height by the car seat manufacturer.”
Vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death for children between one and 13-years old and unfortunately, only one out of four car seats in America are correctly installed.
To improve on this statistic, Buckle Up For Life has several simple tips. First is the inch test, meaning the child’s car seat shouldn’t move more than an inch when strapped in.
It’s also important to remove a child’s puffy coat before buckling up, to never use a re-gifted or rented car seat and to ensure holiday packages are also secured.
(PHOTO: The Washington Post/Getty Images)
