Child Passenger Safety - National Safety Council

Child Passenger Safety Starts with You

Every day, parents and caregivers make choices that impact their children's safety on the road. Car crashes remain a leading cause of death for children, but the right information and tools can save lives.

Properly securing children in car seats that meet federal motor vehicle safety standards goes a long way in keeping them safe. NSC advocates for parents and caregivers to use appropriate child restraint systems to the maximum allowed by the car seat manufacturer's instructions, which often exceed state law minimum requirements.

Did you know 65% of car seats are installed incorrectly? NSC offers free virtual car seat checks to help ensure your seat is installed correctly and your child is safe on every drive.

Schedule a Car Seat Check

Child Passenger Safety Resources

NSC provides a wide range of courses, resources, safety tips and helpful links to help parents, caregivers and employers protect children from preventable injuries.

Parents and Caregivers

Car Seat Basics

Learn to keep children safe in cars as they grow – using rear-facing and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts.

Booster Seats and Seat Belts Basics

Learn to keep school-aged children safe in cars as they grow using booster seats and seat belts.

Children in Hot Cars

Educate yourself and everyone you know about risks associated with children and hot cars.

Safety Connection

Resources offered in multiple languages, including educational resources and car seat checks.

Safety Professionals

Child Passenger Safety Learning Portal

Boost your child passenger safety knowledge and skills. Enrichment trainings for nationally certified CPST & CPST-I provide an in-depth review of specific child passenger safety topics.

National Digital Check Form

A free tool that enables nationally certified child passenger safety technicians and instructors to collect data and then use that data to monitor trends, highlight issues encountered in the field and seek program funding support.

National Child Passenger Safety Board

The mission of the NCPSB is to save lives and prevent injuries by promoting child passenger safety through education, mentorship, engagement and innovation.

Occupant Protection Specialist

Certification program that teaches the correct use of vehicle occupant protection systems. Specialists work in communities to elevate transportation safety and provide resources to others.

Quick Tips for Safer Travel

Always wear your seat belt.

● When everyone is buckled, it's safe to drive
● Children under 13 should ride in the rear seat. Always follow back seat law if applicable
● Never install a rear-facing car seat in front of an active frontal air bag

Expecting a baby? Learn how to correctly use your car seat before your baby is born.

Every state has laws for children in vehicles. Check your child passenger safety laws here.

Register your car seat to receive important safety information.

Check for recalls: Car seat and vehicle.

More Resources

● Child Safety - NHTSA
● AAA Child Passenger Safety Toolkit
● NSC Mobility Safety: Free Training and Resources

Protecting Our Youngest Passengers

We Must Get to Zero