Children

Fatality Facts: Children

State laws

Informational video

Keeping children safe in crashes — photos and videos designed to help parents choose the right type of restraint for their child's age and size and to provide general information on installation and use

Consumer videos available for purchase

Kids and airbags/Los niños y las bolsas de aire — Airbags are a big success; they've saved many lives, but they've also caused some serious injuries and deaths. Children and especially infants in rear-facing restraints are at risk. Using crash test footage and demonstrations of correct restraint use, this video tells how to protect youngsters in vehicles with airbags

Consumer brochure

Kids & airbags — how to transport children safely and eliminate the risk of airbag injury

Selected research bibliography

Highlights from the Institute's research since 1969

News

June 11, 2003 LATCH systems for child restraints aren't always a snap; not every child restraint will work in every vehicle

December 20 , 2000 Best & worst state traffic safety laws: some states do a better job than others

March 30, 1999 Despite warnings, many children still ride unrestrained or in the front seat

December 14, 1998 Black and Hispanic children, teenagers at high risk of motor vehicle crash death

June 27, 1997 With or without airbags, children are safer when they ride restrained in back

Status Report newsletter

Vol. 43, No. 5, July 1, 2008: Power windows can seriously injure or kill young children whose heads, arms, or other body parts get trapped, a Q&A reveals; Backover crashes often happen when SUV drivers don't see toddlers behind their vehicles

Vol. 42, No. 5, May 12, 2007: Special issue: one day of crashes; the stories of some of the 119 people killed in crashes on June 7, 2005

Vol. 40, No. 8, September 28, 2005: NHTSA won't rate child restraints based on dynamic performances

Vol. 38, No. 9, September 25, 2003: State legislative update: child restraints

Vol. 38, No. 5, June 11, 2003: LATCH rules are helping, but not solving, child restraint installation problems; When restrained infants and children die in crashes, it usually isn't because their restraints failed; Top tethers on child restraints were used only about half of the time before LATCH rules and aren't in use more often now

Vol. 38, No. 2, February 8, 2003: Booster seats are the subject of a new federal law that tells NHTSA to define boosters and set standards

Vol. 37, No. 6, June 8, 2002: HyperG sled acquisition launches new Institute testing programs

Vol. 37, No. 3, March 16, 2002: Some state licensing and DUI/DWI laws have been strengthened, but no safety belt laws have been changed to primary

Vol. 36, No. 2, February 17, 2001: First child restraint attachments offered under new federal requirements don't necessarily secure seats snugly

Vol. 35, No. 10 December 20, 2000: Special issue: state traffic safety laws: includes information on child restraint use

Vol. 35, No. 4, April 15, 2000: Durability of child restraints is proven in crash tests conducted at both high and low speeds; Nonuse of child restraints still is the biggest threat to safety

Vol. 34, No. 8, October 2, 1999: Special issue: child safety: Many doctors aren't counseling parents and other caregivers about child safety in motor vehicles; Lots of children still ride unrestrained, and too many of them are in front seats; Restraining older children is the subject of a blue ribbon panel convened by the US Department of Transportation; School bus safety is the focus of a two-year research program

Vol. 34, No. 1, January 16, 1999: Child safety seats will be easier to install under NHTSA's new regulation calling for uniform attachments; New attachments for child seats; Black and Hispanic children and teens are at high risk of dying in crashes

Vol. 33, No. 3, April 4, 1998: Airbag switches sought by people who transport kids in front

Vol. 32, No. 9, November 29, 1997: Kids safer restrained in back in vehicles with and without passenger airbags; Child seats soon may be simpler to place in the back due to fixed attachment points

Advisories

September 2004 NHTSA shifts policy on child restraint replacement

September 1999 Despite new California law, no need to replace child seats after most crashes

November 1996 Addressing the risks from airbag inflation for infants, children, and short drivers

Regulatory comments

Comment to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning the extension of FMVSS 213 to restraints recommended for children up to 80 pounds (Docket No. NHTSA-2005-21245), October 31, 2005

Comment to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213; Child Restraint Systems, Side Impact Protection for Restrained Children (Docket No. NHTSA 02-12151), August 22, 2002

Comment to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning revisions to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213, Child Restraint Systems (Docket No. NHTSA 02-11707), July 1, 2002

Comment to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning the rating program for child restraint systems (Docket No. NHTSA 2001-10053, Notice 1), January 7, 2002

Comment to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning the use and effectiveness of child booster seats (Docket No. NHTSA 2001-10359), September 27, 2001

Testimony

Statement before the Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Foreign Commerce, and Tourism of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Child restraints and booster seats, Adrian K. Lund, April 24, 2001; attachment: Status Report, Vol. 35, No. 10, December 20, 2000