Traffic Deaths Increase During COVID: Car Seats & Seat Belts Provide Essential Protection

WASHINGTON, and MT. LAUREL, N.J., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- While decreased travel during the COVID pandemic has reduced miles traveled across the country, there was record increase in overall traffic death rates in 2020 and a further increase has continued in 2021.

During National Child Passenger Safety Week, child safety experts from Safe Kids Worldwide and the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) are urging parents and caregivers to take advantage of in-person, online, and virtual resources to ensure their children are properly secured in a car seat or belt-positioning booster seat for every ride.

"It seems like things have been constantly changing over the past 18 months, but one thing that has stayed the same is that correctly used car seats, booster seats, and seat belts are the best way to make sure a family is the most protected on the roads," said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. "These in-person, online, and virtual resources are available to give every family the tools they need to keep their kids safe in and around cars."

"Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death for American children. Properly used car seats are the most effective intervention for protecting children and are up to 71 percent effective at preventing fatal injuries," said Joe Colella, director of child passenger safety for JPMA. "For optimal safety benefits, car seats and booster seats need to be chosen and used according to the instructions that come from car seat and vehicle manufacturers."

Driving patterns and behaviors reported in 2020 changed significantly from prior years, leading to increases in injuries and deaths. While vehicle miles driven decreased, many drivers engaged in riskier behaviors like not buckling up, speeding, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Early estimates of 2021 crash injuries indicate that these behavioral trends continue.

To help caregivers select, install and use their car seats correctly, Safe Kids Worldwide and JPMA are making the following in-person, online, and virtual resources available free-of-charge and consistent with up-to-date COVID-19 protocols:

• Car seat checkup events through Safe Kids coalitions ? Due to COVID 19, Safe Kids coalitions and national certified child passenger safety technicians (CPSTs) have adjusted the way they provide CPS education. Locate a Safe Kids coalition, local event or CPST to learn more about in-person, virtual or online inspection options near you. https://www.safekids.org/events/field_type/check-event
• The Ultimate Car Seat Guide ? Available in English and Spanish, this online, interactive tool provides expert guidance to parents on everything from how to fit a child into a car seat to how to know when it is time to move to a new type of seat. https://ucsg.safekids.org/
• Car seat help directly from manufacturers ? Important information about using your car seat correctly comes from its original manufacturer. Learn about your manufacturer's customer service options and resources. https://www.jpma.org/page/carseathelp
• Additional tools and educational resources from JPMA members and partners ? This collection includes educational videos, tools, and resources from JPMA and its partners, along with direct links to car seat manufacturer members. https://www.jpma.org/page/CPSWeek
• Free virtual car seat consultation appointments ? September 25th is National Seat Check Saturday. If you want help from a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician but cannot get to a local checkup event, make an appointment for this virtual option and receive free 1:1 video assistance. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-virtual-car-seat-safety-event-tickets-167344165905

National Child Passenger Safety Week is an annual observance devoted to car seat awareness and education. Activities begin on September 19 and continue through National Seat Check Saturday on September 25.

About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to protect kids on the road, at home and at play. Preventable injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 400 coalitions in the U.S. and with partners in more than 30 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. The Safe Kids Buckle Up program, supported by General Motors, has protected millions of children through car seat check-up events and inspection stations, car seat distribution, a vehicular heatstroke prevention campaign, the Spot the Tot initiative, an annual national awareness campaign, and additional efforts to reach vulnerable populations. Join our effort at safekids.org.

About the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA)
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) is the voice of the industry on quality and safety for baby and children's products in North America. We work to advance the interests of manufacturers, parents, children, and the industry at large by advocating for safety through product certification programs and legislative and regulatory involvement. We support our broad and diverse membership through member-only programming and industry promotion, and we act as a comprehensive source for baby product information and education.

JPMA members represent 95 percent of the prenatal to preschool products sold in North America. To find out more about JPMA, our Certification Program and Certified products, and for a complete listing of JPMA Members, please visit https://www.jpma.org. Follow JPMA on Twitter @JPMA, on Instagram @JPMABuiltforBaby and connect with us on Facebook to learn about additional safety tips and JPMA initiatives.

Journalist References:
Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rate by Sub-Categories in 2020
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813118

Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Quarter of 2021
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2021-09/Early-Estimate-Motor-Vehicle-Traffic-Fatalities-Q1-2021.pdf

Countermeasures That Work, 10th Edition
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2021-09/Traffic-Tech-Countermeasures-That-Work-10th-edition.pdf

Media Contact

Kelly Voelker, JPMA, 678-634-2297, [email protected]

Gary Karton, Safe Kids Worldwide, 202-604-5353, [email protected]

SOURCE JPMA