A recent article in the New York Times reported that the “the most common cause of death in children under the age of 15 is unintentional injury, and the most common cause of unintentional injury is car accidents.” The article goes on to note that an average of 11 children a week died in motor vehicle accidents from 2010-2014 and that the majority of those children were not wearing seatbelts:
- 43 percent were unrestrained or improperly restrained
- 15 percent were seated in the front seat and should not have been per safety laws
- 13 percent were passengers in cars where the driver was under the influence of alcohol
To protect the lives of your children, it’s important that parents follow Wisconsin’s child safety seatbelt laws. Parents will be fined if their child is not properly restrained. Children:
- Less than 12 months old (or less than 20 pounds) must be in the back seat in a rear-facing child seat
- Between one and four years of age (and between 20 – 40 pounds) must be in a forward- or rear-facing child seat in the back seat
- Age 4 – 8 (and between 40 – 80 pounds and under 4’9” tall) must be in a forward- or rear-facing child seat or booster seat in the back seat
- Must remain in a car seat until they are 4 (and weight 40 pounds) and in a booster seat until they are 8 (and are more than 80 pounds or 4’9” tall)
In order for a child seat or booster seat to be effective, it must be installed properly. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation offers a variety of resources to help parents and caregivers properly choose and install seats. If parents are uncertain about the proper use of a child seat or booster seat, or if they would like to have their seats checked they can do so at a variety of locations in Marathon County.
