Buckle Up! Many Motor Vehicle Deaths are Preventable, Especially for Children

Motor vehicle injuries remain a leading cause of death among children throughout the United States. Yet many of these deaths could have been prevented if the child was properly buckled or fitted into their car seat, booster seat or seat belt.

A report on Child Passenger Safety compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examines populations most at risk and how to minimize the risk of serious injury or even death.

In 2011 alone, statistics show that more than 650 children ages 12 years and younger died in a motor vehicle crash, while another 148,000 were injured. Of the children who died that year, findings showed that 33 percent were not properly buckled up.

Based on this and other evidence, the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends that many parents attend car seat distribution plus education programs to increase their knowledge of restraint use and decrease the risk of injuries and deaths to child passengers.

A recent study of five states that increased their age requirement to 7 or 8 years for car seats and booster seats showed that the rate of children who sustained fatal or incapacitating injuries decreased by about 17 percent.

However, researchers found that overall, some children are more at risk than others for such injuries. Statistics from 2009-2011 showed that about 45 percent of black and Hispanic children were not buckled up compared to 26 percent of white children.

Older children (8-12 year olds) were also less likely to be bucked when compared to younger children (one-third of 1-7 year olds; one-fourth of infants under 1), based on 2011 findings.

Certain guidelines vary for each child depending on his or age and weight. To determine the proper safety tips for your child to properly buckle up, check out these guidelines, here.