Child Passenger Safety Week runs September 20-26, 2026. It’s a good reminder to double-check your child’s car seat before the next drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks these numbers closely. In 2024, an average of two children 14 and younger died every day in vehicle crashes. Almost 39% of those children had no seat belt or car seat on at all. As personal injury attorneys, we see firsthand how much a correctly installed car seat can matter for a family’s safety.
Child Passenger Safety Week: Why It Matters in Indiana
NHTSA created this observance to help parents and caregivers find the right seat for their child’s age and size. Car seat needs change as kids grow, so it’s worth checking yours even if you installed it correctly last year. You can use NHTSA’s Car Seat Finder to compare seats and confirm you have the right one.
Indiana’s Car Seat and Booster Seat Laws
Indiana law sets specific requirements by age. Children from birth to 12 months need a rear-facing car seat. Kids 1 to 3 stay rear-facing until they reach their seat’s height or weight limit. After that, they move to a forward-facing harness. Children 4 to 7 use a forward-facing harness until they outgrow it, then a booster seat. Kids 8 to 12 stay in a booster until the vehicle’s seat belt fits them correctly on its own. For the full breakdown, see Indiana’s child restraint and seat belt laws.
Get Your Car Seat Inspected for Free
As part of Child Passenger Safety Week, National Seat Check Saturday falls on September 26. Certified technicians will check your installation for free and show you how to fix common mistakes. You can find a nearby inspection site through NHTSA’s locator tool.
Protecting Your Child’s Rights After a Crash
A crash caused by someone else’s negligence can still hurt a child badly. That’s true even for a child buckled correctly into a car seat. If that happens, Indiana law puts the parent or guardian in charge of filing the claim. The child cannot file it directly. Families can seek recovery for medical costs, future rehabilitation, and pain and suffering. Learn more about your options when a child gets hurt in an Indiana car accident. One more thing worth knowing: skipping Indiana’s restraint rules could reduce the compensation your family recovers. That’s one more reason to get your seat checked before Seat Check Saturday, not after an accident.
Talk to a Keller & Keller Attorney Today
If a crash leaves your child injured, our team is ready to help protect their rights and your family’s recovery.
Reach out today or call 1-800-2KELLER or to get started.
