Child Passenger Safety Week Brings Awareness to Car Seat Use and Installation
Car seats and booster seats are proven to protect infants and children in the event of a crash, but experts stress that choosing the correct seat for a child’s age and size—and ensuring it is installed properly—is critical for safety.
Child Passenger Safety Week is observed each September to raise awareness among parents and caregivers about how to keep children safe while riding in vehicles. This year, the campaign runs September 21–27, 2025.
As part of the week’s events, National Seat Check Saturday will take place on September 27. Families can take advantage of free inspections and hands-on instruction on how to correctly install and use the right car seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a Car Seat Inspection Locator online to help parents find a nearby inspection site.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/car-seats-and-booster-seats/child-passenger-safety-week
The statistics underscore the importance of proper car seat use. In 2023, on average, two children under the age of 14 were killed and 345 were injured every day in traffic crashes involving passenger vehicles. Alarmingly, 43 percent of the children killed were unrestrained.
NHTSA provides several resources to help parents make the best choices:
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Find the Right Seat: Learn about the four types of car seats and review recommendations based on age and size. The Car Seat Finder tool allows families to compare models and ease-of-use ratings.
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Install Seats Correctly: Access detailed instructions and videos that explain installation tips and common mistakes to avoid.
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Stay Informed: Register car seats to receive recall notices and safety updates, or download NHTSA’s SaferCar app for real-time alerts.
Child safety advocates stress that correctly using the right car seat every time a child is in the car can prevent tragedy.
For more information and resources, visit www.nhtsa.gov/TheRightSeat
