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Child Passenger Safety

Motor vehicle crashes are the single largest threat to the health and safety of Utah children. Each year, crashes kill more children than cancer, homicide, suicide, heart disease, pneumonia and diabetes combined.

From 1999-2003, 382 children ages 0-19 were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Every year, more than 500 children are hospitalized and are hospitalized, and every hour a child is rushed to an emergency room after being injured in a car crash.

The vast majority of these deaths and injuries can be prevented if all child passengers are properly restrained in a child safety seat, booster seat or seat belt. It is important that children be placed in the restraint device that offers the maximum protection for their size and age. It’s estimated that 85% to 95% of children ride in seats that are not properly secured or that are not appropriate for their age and size. In the U.S., more than two-thirds of the children fatally injured were not riding in age-appropriate restraints or were completely unrestrained.

Infants (birth to 1 year old or 20 lbs.)
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants ride in rear-facing safety seats until they are at least 20 pounds and 1 year old. When used properly, these seats reduce the risk of neck injury to infants. Infants riding in rear-facing child safety seats should never be placed in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger-side air bag. All children under the age of twelve should ride in the back seat.

Toddlers (1 to 4 years or 40 lbs.)
Generally, children who have outgrown their rear facing seats and are at least 1 year of age and 20 pounds should ride in forward facing safety seats as long as they fit (i.e., ears should be below the top of the back of the seat, with shoulders below the seat strap slots). When children outgrow the safety seat, they should be secured in a booster seat.

Young children (4 to 8 years or 40-80 lbs.) NEW Booster Seat Law

As of May 5th, 2008 all children under 8 years of age must be properly restrained in a child restraint or booster seat. For more information on Utah's new law visit the Safe Kids Utah website.

Children should start using a belt-positioning booster seat when they grow out of their child safety seats (usually when they weigh about 40 pounds). Belt-positioning booster seats raise children up so the lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. Children should continue to ride in a booster seat until the lap/shoulder belts in the car fit properly, typically when they are 4’9” tall.

Older children (9 to 12 years old)
Children who have outgrown child safety seats and booster seats must wear seat belts. Shoulder belts should never be placed behind the passenger’s back or under an arm. Lap/shoulder belts usually do not fit properly until a child is 4’10" tall and weighs 80 lbs.

Back seat for safety
All children 12 years and younger should ride in the back seat, the safest part of a vehicle in a crash. This is especially important for vehicles with front passenger-side airbags. Air bags can seriously injure infants and small children. New engineering designs are being developed to reduce this danger; but until child safety systems are perfected, children should ride in the back. In fact, the rear seat is the safest place for children to ride, even for vehicles that don’t have airbags. So always have kids buckle-up in the back seat.