COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety will be participating in the annual Child Passenger Safety Week September 19-25.  The national campaign aims to educate parents and caregivers on how to properly ensure their children are buckled up correctly whenever they are riding in a vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46 percent of all child safety seats are installed incorrectly.  

Motor vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. In 2018, NHTSA reported that 35 percent of all children killed in motor vehicle collisions were unrestrained.  

CPS week will include both in-person and virtual activities on the SCDPS social media pages and website. In-person activities will include safety talks and car seat demonstrations at the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles on Monday, September 20, and Friday, September 24, from 9 a.m. through 11 a.m.

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles is located at:
10311 Wilson Boulevard 
Blythewood, South Carolina 29016 

“Every day, our troopers see children who are not properly restrained in vehicles. Ultimately, it’s the responsibility of every parent and caregiver to ensure they are educated on proper restraint recommendations based on the child’s height, age and weight,” said South Carolina Highway Patrol Col. Christopher Williamson. “We highly recommend getting your children’s car seats checked with a certified Child Passenger Safety technician so you can have peace of mind as you travel with your precious cargo.”  

According to the SC Child Passenger Safety Law: 

• Infants under two years old must be secured in a rear-facing car seat until the child exceeds the height or weight limit allowed by the manufacturer of the car seat before moving to a forward-facing car seat. 
• A child at least age 2 or under 2 who has outgrown the manufacturer’s height or weight limits for a rear-facing car seat must be secured in a forward-facing car seat in a rear seat of the vehicle until the child exceeds the highest height or weight requirements of the forward-facing car seat. 
• Children who are at least four years old, who have outgrown a forward-facing seat, may be moved to a booster seat until they meet the height and fit requirements for an adult safety belt. 
• A child at least age 8 or at least 57 inches tall may be restrained by an adult safety belt if the child can be secured properly by an adult safety seat belt. 

Remember, the safest place for all children is in the back seat of the vehicle. Car seats and booster seats should be registered with the seat manufacturer for important safety updates or recalls that may occur. Parents and caregivers can view more information on car seat safety and locate a certified technician at www.nhtsa.gov/carseat, or at the SCDPS website, https://scdps.sc.gov/buckleupsc/safety_seat_law.   

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.