BOISE – Sunday marks the beginning of National Child Passenger Safety Week, and as Idaho families navigate life’s twists and turns, AAA and the National Safety Council urge parents to always ensure their children are properly buckled.
“You want the best for your kids, and that includes a safe and happy childhood,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. “Using the right car seat, booster, or seat belt is one of the most important ways to invest in your child’s future.”
According to a new AAA analysis of five years of government crash data, child seat and booster use dangerously decline after a child turns three despite the clear safety risks. And a review of the National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) database reveals that a shocking 74% of the car seats inspected in 2023 were improperly installed or adjusted.
Source: Crash Report Sampling System (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Analysis by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
When used correctly, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that child restraints reduce crash fatalities by anywhere from 54-71%.
The three most common misuses of car seats were loose installation, not using the tether to attach the seat to the passenger seat anchor bracket and leaving the harness too loose.
There is some good news – Idaho parents outperformed neighboring states and the national trend by moving fewer children to a booster seat or adult seat belt before the recommended time:
| Percentage of children who were moved to a booster seat too soon | Percentage of children who moved to an adult seat belt too soon | |
| IDAHO | 18.6% | 78.7% |
| MONTANA | 12.5% | 93.8% |
| NEVADA | 23.2% | 87.5% |
| UTAH | 33.8% | 93.3% |
| WASHINGTON | 23.3% | 87.7% |
| U.S. | 24.9% | 93.6% |
“We urge parents to only ‘graduate’ children to the next level of safety restraint if they’ve met the maximum height and weight specifications of the car seat or booster seat manufacturer,” Conde said. “An adult safety belt will have limited effectiveness for a small child – things simply don’t line up correctly.”
In AAA’s five-year analysis, nearly 4 in 10 children aged 7-11 who were killed in a crash were completely unrestrained. For children aged 0-3, 1 in 4 who were killed were unrestrained. Parents should insist on the correct safety restraint for every vehicle occupant and replace expired car seats or those that have been involved in a crash.
For additional child passenger safety information or to inquire about a car seat check in Idaho, please visit https://itd.idaho.gov//safety/.