"NHTSA" Almost half of all kids killed in car accidents aren't properly buckled up

A study published in The Journal of Pediatrics showed that 43% of child deaths in vehicle crashes could have possibly been prevented if they were restrained correctly or at all. Almost 75% of families face their kids' seats in the wrong direction and, as they age, many kids aren't sitting in the recommended booster seats. And, some of them sat in the front seat way too soon.

The report, supported by data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,

demonstrates that these factors increase the likelihood of a child dying in an accident. It also showed that geography played a surprising roll.

"The majority of children involved in a fatal crash lived in the South (52%), with 21% in the West, 19% in the Midwest, and 7.5% in the Northeast," the Journal noted.

For every 100,000 children, 0.25 died in Massachusetts while 3.20 died in Mississippi. And while 20% of kids killed in crashes across the country were either strapped in incorrectly or totally unbuckled, 38% of all child mortalities in Mississippi car accidents occurred this way.

The American Academy of Pediatrics published specific guidelines for the strongest and most reliable means of protecting young passengers. They recommend toddlers stay rear-facing in a car seat until they're 2-years-old.

But, the study noted, "Although these recommendations have been implemented in part by some states, no state has implemented them fully."