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Parents, relatives, child care providers, and others who transport children in any car, truck or van need to be sure children always are restrained in the seat correct for age and size.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 11, 2005) -- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for all Kentucky children and adolescents older than age one, accounting for about one third of all pediatric injury deaths every year. In an effort to urge Kentuckians to properly restrain child passengers in motor vehicles, today Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher proclaimed Feb. 12-19 Child Passenger Safety Week in Kentucky.

"It is essential that we ensure the safety and well-being of every Kentuckian in the Commonwealth," said Governor Fletcher. "Child Passenger Safety Week is an excellent opportunity to urge parents and other care providers to properly use car safety restraints to protect Kentucky's children."

In the past two decades, 2002, 2003 and 2004 have been the worst years for motor vehicle crash deaths in Kentucky. Approximately 80 Kentucky children and adolescents are lost every year in motor vehicle crashes, equivalent to the loss of four entire Kentucky classrooms of school children per year.

According to Kentucky State SAFE KIDS Coordinator, Dr. Susan H. Pollack, almost a third of the Kentucky kids who die of injury could be saved just by buckling children up properly on every ride. Babies should be placed in rear-facing car seats until at least 1year of age and should then graduate to a forward facing child safety seat. A 3- to 4-year-old who becomes too big for a child safety seat is still too small to safely fit into an adult seat belt, Pollack said.

Pollack manages the Pediatric and Adolescent Injury Prevention Program at Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center at UK and is assistant professor in the UK Department of Pediatrics and Department of Preventive Medicine.

“Don’t skip a step, remember to use a booster seat for your 4- to 8-year-old until the seat belt fits properly,” Pollack said. “Almost all kindergarten and first-graders need to be in booster seats. Kids from 8 to 18 need to wear their seat belt on every ride.”

Parents, relatives, child care providers, and others who transport children in any car, truck or van need to be sure children always are restrained in the seat correct for age and size, Pollack said.

Parents need to not only remember to place children in seat belts or safety seats, but also need to make sure such devices are installed properly.

"Parents should note that four out of five child safety seats are installed wrong and motor vehicle crashes remain the number one killer of children and adolescents," Pollack said. “Child passenger safety partners across the state of Kentucky are holding free car seat check-ups during this next week, so be sure to get your child's seat or booster checked."