Keeping Children Safe In and Around Cars
Originally Published: July 19, 2019 • Updated: June 8, 2026
Motor vehicle crashes remain one of the leading causes of death for children in the United States. In 2023 alone, 1,019 child passengers ages 14 and under were killed, and more than 161,000 were injured. The good news: proper restraints save lives. (Source: CDC)
But crashes aren’t the only danger. Children can be seriously injured in driveways, parking lots, and even parked cars. Understanding the risks — and taking simple precautions — can prevent tragedies.
How Children Get Hurt Around Vehicles
Children are vulnerable in many situations, including
- Backover and frontover incidents, a child can get run over when a driver fails to see a child behind or in front of the vehicle
- Incorrect or missing car seats/boosters. Child passenger safety equipment may not be installed or installed incorrectly.
- Airbag deployment injuries
- Playing in or around parked cars, including trunks, which make good hiding places for children.
- Higher injury risk in crashes due to smaller, developing bodies
Common Injuries Children Suffer in Car Accidents
- Brain and/or head injuries, ranging from minor lacerations to concussions and skull fractures.
- Spinal cord injuries
- Chest and rib injuries, especially in infants
- Limb injuries, such as forearms, shoulders, and elbows.
- Internal chest and abdominal injuries.
Child Passenger Safety: What Every Parent Should Do
Restraint use drops as children get older — and so does safety. Parents need to ensure that a child uses safety equipment and that it fits well in a car seat or booster, which will ensure maximum safety.
Key Safety Steps
- Choose the right seat for your child’s age, height, and weight
- Install car seats correctly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure you have a tight fit, no more than 1 inch of movement when you shake it from side to side or pull it forward.
- Keep children rear‑facing until they have reached the appropriate height and weight recommendations.
- Use booster seats once forward‑facing seats are outgrown
- Never rely on adult seat belts alone for young children. Use a booster seat rather than rely on an adult shoulder belt. Children can easily slip of a seat belt, whereas using a booster raises a child to a height where the seat belt fits properly across the lap and chest.
- Keep kids 12 and under in the back seat. It is one of the safest places for children to ride when in a vehicle. Make sure that they use the seat belt properly.
- Register your car and booster seats to ensure you receive any notifications or recall alerts
Prevent Back Over and Front Over Accidents
- Walk around your vehicle before getting in — check all sides and underneath, since a child may be playing games such as hide and seek.
- Listen as you are backing out. Turn off the radio. Power down the windows.
- Don’t rely solely on cameras or sensors; they are not foolproof.
- Teach children safety practices around vehicles such as avoiding playing near vehicles and holding an adult’s hand in parking lots
- Keep bikes, toys, and sports gear out of driveways
Parked Cars Can Be Dangerous Too
Even when not moving, cars pose risks:
- Power windows can injure small hands, arms, or necks
- Kids playing inside cars have been known to release the parking brake. This can put the car in motion rolling down the driveway into the street.
- Kids can get trapped in the trunk.
Designate safe play areas and teach children safety practices and guidelines.
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