General Safety Information:
- After the Fire
- Burns & Scalds Injury Prevention
- Campus Housing & Dormitories
- Car Seat Safety
- Carbon Monoxide
- Clothes Dryers Safety
- E.D.I.T.H.
- Electric Vehicle Safety
- Emergency Preparedness
- Extreme Heat
- Fire Safety at Your Home Away From Home
- Fireworks Safety & Upcoming Shows
- Garage Safety
- Grilling Safety
- Healthy Heart
- Hotel & Motel Safety
- Safety For Older Adults
- Smoke Alarms
- Snow Removal Safety
- Thanksgiving/Turkey Fryer Safety
- Vehicle Fire Safety
- Winter Fire Safety
Car Seat Safety
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2022 Traffic Safety Facts:
- Of the 42,514 traffic fatalities in 2022 in the United States, 1,129 (3%) were children 14 and younger.
Child traffic fatalities decreased by 6 percent from 2021 (1,200) to 2022 (1,129). - An estimated 156,502 children were injured in traffic crashes in 2022, a 4-percent decrease from 162,314 in 2021.
- An average of 3 children were killed and an estimated 429 children were injured every day in traffic crashes in 2022.
- Of the 25,420 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2022 in traffic crashes, 756 (3%) were children. Of these 756 child passenger vehicle
occupants killed in traffic crashes, restraint use was known for 675, of whom 266 (39%) were unrestrained. - In 2022, based on known restraint use, 68 percent of the children who died while riding with unrestrained passenger vehicle drivers were also unrestrained.
- Of the 1,129 children killed in traffic crashes, an estimated 283 (25%) were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2022.
Important Safety Reminders
- As children grow, so do their restraint types (rear-facing, forward-facing, booster seat, or seat belt). Always use the one that fits your child’s current age and size. Use the NHTSA Car Seat Finder located at www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats.
- Every car and every car seat or booster seat has different installation instructions, so make sure you read both the car seat instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual.
- Remember that children in rear-facing seats should never be placed in front of an active passenger air bag.
- Use either the lower anchors and tether, or the seat belt and tether when installing forward-facing seats.
- To get assistance with installation, find a certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) at a location near you using NHTSA’s Inspection Station locator: www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-boosterseats#installation-help-inspection
- Remember to register your car seat or booster seat so you can be notified in the event of a safety recall.
- Plan for using car seats or booster seats when traveling and riding in taxis or ride-share vehicle.
- To find out when your child is ready to use an adult seat belt, reference the “Car Seat Recommendations for Children” located at: www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/carseat-recommendationsfor-children-by-age-size.pdf. Be sure to read information for Booster Seat and Seat Belt Use.
- Keep children in the back seat until at least age 13. It’s the safest place to ride
To read the full report, click here.
Virginia law requires that children under the age of 8 be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat. The law does not have a minimum height or weight limit. Here are some guidelines for car seat use in Virginia:
- Infants: Must always ride in a rear-facing car seat. The harness straps should be at or below the child’s shoulders.
- Toddlers: Should remain rear-facing for as long as possible.
- Children over age 2: May ride forward facing in a convertible or forward-facing seat in an upright position. The harness straps should be at or above the child’s shoulders, with the harness retainer clip at armpit level.
- Children ages 8-12: Consider keeping them in a booster seat until they fit correctly in a seat belt. A booster seat can be a backless child restraint system or a belt-positioning seat.
- Children ages 9-17: Must wear a seat belt, whether in the front seat or not.
Ashburn Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (AVFRD) does not provide installation or safety checks of infant car seats.
Parents may also contact Saving Loudoun’s Littles via Facebook for public car seat inspection events or arrange a private individual car seat inspection.