Child Car Crash Fatalities Report – How Does Your State Rank?

* This post is not sponsored – just good info!

It’s something no parent wants to think about.  Getting into a car crash – whether your fault or not- with your child in the car is a terrifying thought for many parents.  I know that it’s definitely something that I worry about. On average, 2 children (ages 0-13) are killed every day in car crashes in the US. Most of these fatalities are caused by improper seat belt or car seat use and are 100% preventable. To raise awareness during Child Passenger Safety Week (September 23rd-29th), SafeWise analyzed the most recent data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) to determine the states with the highest and lowest number of child fatalities due to car crashes. They also looked at state laws to find correlations between the states with the most and least child fatalities. Here are a few of the highlights from Safewise’s report: 

• New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii have child fatality rates less than half the US average of 2.02 fatalities per 100,000 children.
• Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Iowa, and South Dakota have child fatality rates roughly twice as high as the US average of 2.02.
• Utah (7.5%), South Dakota (6%) and Iowa (5.9%) have the highest percentages of child fatalities in car crashes compared to total car crash fatalities.
• Of the top ten states with the most child fatalities, Southern states are over-represented at 40%. Western and Midwestern states are split evenly at 30%
• The top ten safest states for child passengers have an average fine of $106 for child safety seat law violations.The ten states with the most fatalities have an average fine of only $45.

3 of the top 5 States with the MOST Child Car Crash Fatalities are in the Midwest; 4 of the top 5 states with the FEWEST Child Car Crash Fatalities are in the Northeast.

The vast majority of car crash fatalities are preventable, and our actions can save children’s lives. Here are a few car seat safety tips for parents.

• Make sure you have the right car seat based on your child’s current height and weight.
• Ensure the car seat is properly installed and use it for every car trip.
• Register the car seat with the manufacturer so that you stay informed of any safety updates or recall information.
• Visit a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in your community to double-check that it’s properly installed.

I live in NY, and I know that most fire stations and police stations will check your car seat for you.  If you aren’t sure where it go in your community, they may be a great place for you to start!

How do you ensure your kids’ safety in the car?