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."
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