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According to a 2021 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 700 child passengers were killed in traffic crashes across the nation, and approximately 63,000 suffered injuries. Unfortunately, more than 30% of those ages 0-3 who were killed in a car crash were not buckled up in a car seat. The CDC also reports that almost half the time, parents and caregivers transporting infants and young children either misuse car seats and booster seats or graduate the child too soon by having them stop using a booster seat.
Even the safest drivers can wind up in accidents caused by other negligent motorists. Proper use of restraint systems saves children’s lives. It’s important to keep our children safe when riding in a vehicle. Let’s take a deeper dive into Washington, DC’s car seat law, what is the right type of seat for your children, and what you should do if you get in a car accident in the DC area.
Under Washington, DC law, any child under 4 feet, 9 inches, and under 5 pounds should be placed in a car seat or booster seat. Although it’s not mandatory, the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department recommends that all children ride in the back seat until they reach age 13.
Here are some tips from the Washington, DC Department of Motor Vehicles on what car seats are best for your children:
Children under the age of 2 and weighing less than 40 pounds should be placed in a rear-facing car seat. The car seat will protect the child in case of a crash as it will cradle and move with the child to reduce stress on the neck and spinal cord. Many rear-facing car seats are convertible and typically have a higher height and weight limit to allow you to keep your child rear-facing for longer.
Once a child has outgrown a rear-facing car seat, the next step is to restrain them in a forward-facing car seat. The CDC recommends that children remain buckled in a forward-facing car seat until they outgrow the seat’s maximum height or weight limit. Children should be in a forward-facing car seat in most situations until age 5.
A booster seat fills the gap between car seats and seat belts. Once children grow out of car seats, seat belts do not fit them, so they need to sit on a booster seat. The age at which a child outgrows a booster seat varies based on height. The back of the booster seat may be removed if your child is over 50 pounds but is still too small for the seat belt. Seat belts do not work for children until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall. This means your child may be in a booster seat until they reach 8 to 12 years old.
Once the lap portion of a seat belt lays across a child’s thighs and not their stomach, they can go without a booster seat. The shoulder harness must also lay across the chest and not the neck. Once again, there is no age requirement. Instead, you must examine a child’s height and fit before allowing them to go without a booster.
Parents and caregivers transporting young children should also be familiar with other actions beyond those covered by car seat laws to keep children safe while riding. The following tips provide critical information that could mean the difference between the life or death of your child passenger if you are involved in a car accident.
As mentioned above, misuse of child and booster seats reduces their effectiveness. You can ensure your child is as safe as possible if you install car and booster seats according to the manufacturer’s instruction manual. You can also find a child passenger safety technician to help you install a seat. Several D.C. Metro police officers are technicians. You can also find a technician at the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
You should also periodically check the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website. It provides a list of manufacturer recalls for various products, including car seats and booster seats. If the product is faulty or the company provided incorrect installation instructions, you want to get a new device or adjust your installation as soon as possible.
Airbags are incredible safety devices that save thousands of lives each year. However, their deployment is strong. The force of an airbag can be fatal for young children, so avoid letting children ride in the front seat, even if they are in a rear-facing car seat. The force of an airbag on a car seat can cause injuries or potentially kill an infant in the seat.
According to the CDC, the safest spot in a vehicle is in the middle of the back seat. If you are only transporting one child, you should place them in the middle, whether in a car seat or booster seat. If you have multiple children, you must use your entire back seat.
Sometimes, people are in a hurry, or they only run to the post office or grocery store or perform some quick errand. Some mistakenly assume, “I’m only going a little way, so I don’t have to buckle my child up.” Even if you only travel two blocks, you must buckle children in their car seats, booster seats, or seat belts. Not only is it by car seat laws, but you protect your child passengers from the worst. Research shows that most traffic accidents occur within 10 miles of someone’s home.
As they age, children will buckle themselves into car seats, boosters, and seat belts. Seeing the adults they love buckle up normalizes this behavior. By using your seatbelt, you demonstrate safe behavior to the children riding with you. This can also prevent any struggles about buckling up later on. When adults model safe behavior, children know it’s expected.
After a car accident, your health and safety and the health and safety of your passengers are the top priority. Your immediate response should be to call 911 if you are conscious. Aside from seeking medical treatment, you want to take other steps to protect the value of an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. The steps you take in the minutes, hours, and weeks after a car accident can impact whether you can recover compensation for damages related to your injuries and/or your child’s car accident injuries.
The police will complete a formal report and gather information when they arrive at the accident scene. However, sometimes, police make mistakes or arrive late because they’re busy. If you can, get the name, address, phone, and insurance information from the driver who struck your vehicle. You should also take note and get contact information from any potential eyewitnesses. Witnesses support your claim and give you a better chance to recover damages.
Once emergency services arrive at the scene of an accident, potentially valuable evidence is swept away for good. Use your smartphone to take pictures of the scene of the accident, property damage to vehicles, and any visible injuries. This includes taking pictures of your infant or child’s visible injuries. Photographic evidence makes it difficult for insurance companies to try to argue that the accident didn’t cause an injury.
Car accidents are traumatic events that sometimes lead to permanent or fatal injuries that devastate families. Young children are even more at risk for injuries because of their small frames. However, even accidents at low speeds can cause a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) or other permanent injuries in children that come with lifelong struggles.
An experienced D.C. car accident lawyer can help you through the claims process and build a strong case against the other side. When children suffer injuries, insurance claims and lawsuits are about much more than seeking compensation. Those who suffer serious injuries sometimes need lifelong care and treatment. Compensation from a settlement or jury award can provide the funding a family needs to provide care for a loved one who suffered severe car accident injuries.
Contact the skilled car accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long at 202-960-4596 for a free case review if you or your child has suffered injuries in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence.
