Child safety seats are proven lifesavers
Vote YES on House Bill (HB) 586!
The Issue:
- Motor vehicle crashes are among the leading causes of death for children under age 14 in the U.S.
- In 2023, 1,019 children ages 14 and younger in the U.S. were killed in traffic crashes representing three children killed each day on average. This included 257 children three and younger and 210 children ages four through seven.
- An estimated 156,502 children in the U.S. were injured in traffic crashes in 2022, which equals about 429 each day on average.
- A poll Advocates commissioned in December 2024 found that 84 percent of Americans are concerned about lack of seat belt or child safety seat use, with 62 percent “extremely” or “very” concerned.
The Solution – Update the Child Passenger Safety Law to Educate and Compel the Proper Use:
- Use of appropriate child passenger safety seats is very effective in preventing injury:
- 47 percent effective in preventing fatalities for ages 1-3 in all crashes;
- 43 percent effective in preventing fatalities for ages 3-5 in all crashes; and,
- 67 percent effective in preventing serious to critical injuries for ages 5-8 in all crashes.
- When used properly, child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars.
- According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children younger than two years old are at an elevated risk of head and spine injuries in motor vehicle crashes because their heads are relatively large and their necks smaller with weak musculature. By supporting the entire torso, neck, head and pelvis, a rear facing car seat distributes crash forces over the entire body rather than focusing them only at belt contact points.
- Without the optimal support provided by a rear facing car seat, a young child is at risk of having their spinal cord stretch during a collision which can lead to serious injury or death.
- At least 325 lives were saved by child restraints for children four and younger in passenger vehicles in 2017 (the last year for which this calculation is available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Updating the Child Passenger Safety Law Will Protect Montana Children and Keep Families Whole—Vote YES on HB 586!