Buckle 'em Up

A CUP OF HEALTH WITH CDC
Buckle 'em Up
National Child Passenger Safety Week — September 12–18, 2009
Recorded: September 8, 2009; posted: September 10, 2009

[Announcer] This podcast is presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC — safer, healthier people.

[Susan Laird] Welcome to A Cup of Health with CDC, a weekly feature of the MMWR, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. I'm Susan Laird, filling in for your host, Dr. Robert Gaynes.

Riding with children in a motor-vehicle can be a nerve-racking experience for adults; for young passengers, it can be dangerous. In the U.S. in 2007, more than 600 children under age eight were killed and over 75,000 were treated for injuries suffered in a crash.

Dr. Arlene Greenspan is a researcher with CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. She’s joining us today to discuss the importance of child safety seats in motor vehicles. Welcome to the show, Dr. Greenspan.

[Dr. Greenspan] Thank you for having me here.

[Susan Laird] Dr. Greenspan, how effective is the use child safety seats?

[Dr. Greenspan] For children under the age of one, child safety seats reduce the risk of death by 71 percent. For toddlers, it reduces the risk of death by 54 percent. And for children ages four to seven, it reduces the risk of injury 59 percent compared to the use of adult seat belts.

[Susan Laird] I think that most of our listeners know that it's important to properly install their child's safety seat, but where can they go to ensure that they're doing it right?

[Dr. Greenspan] There are many places people can go to make sure that their children are buckled up correctly. Many people know that fire stations sometimes provide that service. If you would like to find the service closest to you, you can go to the website www.nhtsa.gov/cps and find the nearest location.

[Susan Laird] Dr. Greenspan, where in the vehicle should a safety seat be placed?

[Dr. Greenspan] Your child is safest when placed in the back seat and positioned in the middle of the car, if possible. Remember, all children younger than 13 should sit in the back seat.

[Susan Laird] So how do we know when it's OK for children to stop riding in a safety seat?

[Dr. Greenspan] You'll know that your child is ready to use an adult seat belt when he or she is able to sit all the way back in the seat with his knees hanging over the edge of the seat. The shoulder strap should fall over the shoulder and across the chest. Make sure that the shoulder strap is not rubbing against your child's neck.

[Susan Laird] Where can listeners get more information about the proper use of child safety seats?

[Dr. Greenspan] Listeners can get more information by going to www.cdc.gov and then clicking on "Child Passenger Safety" in the A-Z list.

[Susan Laird] Thanks, Dr. Greenspan. I've been talking today with CDC's Dr. Arlene Greenspan about the importance of using child safety seats in motor vehicles.

We've learned how important it is that child safety seats are properly installed and always used. Be sure you follow all recommendations and don't move your child to an adult safety belt before they are the right size.

Until next time, be well. This is Susan Laird for A Cup of Health with CDC.

[Announcer] For the most accurate health information, visit www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO, 24/7.