SACRAMENTO — Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 6 and 8 to 14 years in the United States. In 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 6,532 passenger vehicle occupants aged 14 and younger were involved in fatal crashes nationwide.

Driving home the importance of transporting children safely is the goal of National Child Passenger Safety Week. Held Sept. 12-19, the event seeks to raise awareness of the need to place all children in age- and size-appropriate car and booster seats.

"The likelihood of death or injury during a vehicle crash can be greatly reduced by taking simple precautions," said Christy Adams, coordinator for the UC Davis trauma prevention and outreach program.

"Placing children in age- and size-appropriate car and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half," Adams said.

To learn how to choose and properly use the safest type of restraint for their children based on age and weight, parents and caregivers should refer to the following the national 4 Steps for Kids guidelines:

1. For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds.
2. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).
3. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4 feet 9 inches tall).
4. When children outgrow their booster seats (usually at age 8 or when they are 4 feet 9 inches tall), they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest). All children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat.

The UC Davis Children's Hospital and trauma prevention program is committed to improving the safety of all children. The trauma prevention program, "Kohl's Buckle Up to Grow Up," provides free car seat education to parents and caregivers in the community and offers free car seat inspections to ensure children are secured safety. To sign up for a car-seat class or to have your car seat inspected, contact Cathy Morris at 916-734-9784. For more information about Kohl's, visit www.kohls.com.

For more information on Child Passenger Safety Week visit www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/injuryprevention and www.nhtsa.gov/cps.

UC Davis Children's Hospital is the Sacramento region's only comprehensive hospital for children. From primary care offices to specialty and intensive care clinics, pediatric experts provide compassionate care to more than 100,000 children each year and conduct research on causes and improved treatments for conditions such as autism, asthma, obesity, cancer and birth defects. For more information, visit www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/children.