BOISE – (September 2, 2026) – If you’re thinking about moving your child to an adult seat belt, you may be rushing things. According to AAA and the National Safety Council, nearly 87% of kids are placed in an adult seat belt too soon. The new findings are based on child safety seat inspections completed in 2025.
“An adult seat belt is designed for a taller person with greater bone density. Put a smaller child in one, and it’s an injury waiting to happen,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. “In some cases, the seat belt ends up being too high against the neck and throat, or it may not be effective in preventing the person from being ejected from their seat.”
September is Child Passenger Safety Month, an important reminder to parents and grandparents to ensure that children are adequately protected.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the right car seat reduces the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers. Between 2020 and 2024, more than 3.7 million children were involved in crashes nationwide, with more than 500,000 injured and 2,800 killed.
Child seat inspections further reveal that nearly three-fourths of all car seats and booster seats are installed or used incorrectly.
Sobering statistics
- In 2024, there were 59.7 million children in the U.S. – making up 18% of the population.
- Of the 39,254 traffic deaths that year, 1,032 (3%) were children.
- 39% of the kids killed in a vehicle that year were unrestrained – no seat belt of any kind.
“Let’s get serious about safety, especially when it comes to our little ones,” Conde said. “As parents and grandparents, we spend so much time and energy trying to protect our kids. Why should riding in a car be any different?”
AAA urges adults to advance children from a car seat to a booster seat, and from a booster seat to an adult seat belt, based on height and weight, not based on age alone.
“If you have a car seat that’s been involved in a serious crash, it did its job,” Conde said. “Please make the investment to replace it before any vital components fail.”
Based on 2024 crash data, Idaho ranks 6th for the highest percentage of child fatalities in traffic crashes (3.8%). Here’s how the Gem State compares with neighboring states:
| STATE | % OF CHILD DEATHS |
| Washington | 3.3% |
| Oregon | 2.2% |
| Idaho | 3.8% |
| Nevada | 3.8% |
| Utah | 4.3% |
| Wyoming | 4.7% |
| Montana | 1% |
Car seat safety tips
During safety inspections, the most common issues are car seats installed too loosely, failing to use the top tether strap with forward-facing seats, and harness straps that are too loose.
- Review state laws for child safety restraints.
- Don’t rush to ‘graduate’ your child to the next stage of safety restraints.
- Follow installation instructions from the manufacturer and follow along with an instructional video.
- Make sure the harness is snug enough that you can’t pinch excess webbing at the shoulder.
- Make sure seat belts are low across the hips, with the shoulder belt crossing the center of the chest and shoulder.
- Make sure your child’s back is against the car seat AND that their knees can bend over the edge of the seat for the entire trip.