Child Passenger Safety Month
As parents and caregivers, keeping children safe in vehicles is a top priority. Ensuring proper child passenger safety is key, especially when you consider that in 2021, 711 child passengers ages 12 and younger were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S., and in 2020 more than 63,000 were injured, as reported by the CDC. In Connecticut, car seat laws and regulations list age and weight, and the child must meet both requirements.
- Infants must remain rear-facing until they are a minimum of 2 years old AND 30 pounds.
- Toddlers can ride either rear-facing or forward-facing in a child restraint system equipped with a five-point harness until 5 years old AND 40 pounds.
- Children between 5 and 8 years old AND between 40 and 60 pounds can ride a in booster seat secured by a seat safety belt, forward-facing in a child restraint system equipped with a five-point harness, or rear-facing.
By installing car seats correctly and following these age and weight guidelines, you are reducing the risk of injury in case of an accident and providing your child with the best possible protection.
The Southington Police Department will perform a car seat safety check — details are at southingtonpolice.org/car-seat/. Call their non-emergency number at 860-378-1600 for an appointment. Both the Southington Police Department and the ECCS have emergency contact stickers to put on your car seats.
Leaving a young child in the car is not only incredibly dangerous but knowingly leaving a child under the age of 12 unsupervised in a vehicle is illegal in the state of Connecticut. The average number of U.S. child hot car deaths is 38 per year with more than 88% being age 3 and younger. Leaving the windows open and/or parking in the shade are both not shown to have a significant decrease in how quickly the temperature rises or the maximum temperature in the vehicle.
September is Child Passenger Safety month. Learn more about Child Passenger Safety and CT Car Seat Laws at www.southingtonearlychildhood.org/car-seats-laws/.
