Defiance County Health Department promotes Child Passenger Safety within our community. Motor vehicle crashes can occur anywhere and to anyone. Statistically, crashes are a leading cause of death in children. Many of these deaths result from the incorrect use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts. According to a NHTSA study, 46% of car seats and booster seats were misused in some way that could decrease the protection offered by the child safety seat in the event of a crash. With continued education on child passenger safety and correct car seat installation, the risk of death or injury from a motor vehicle crash can be greatly reduced.
The Ohio Department of Health’s child passenger safety (CPS) program, Ohio Buckles Buckeyes (OBB), provides FREE child safety seats and booster seats to eligible low income families in all Ohio counties. The overall goal of this program is to increase the availability of child safety seats for families who could not otherwise afford them and to increase correct installation and proper use of child safety seats.
Child Passenger Safety – Infants In Rear Facing Seats
Child Passenger Safety – Toddlers in Forward Facing Seats
Child Passenger Safety – Booster Seats
There is strong evidence of effectiveness in establishing car seat laws and car seat distribution plus education programs to increase use of child safety seats and decrease injuries and deaths to child passengers according to the Community Preventive Services Task Force (American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001: 21(4S), 31-47).
