United States · Research & data · Issue #3 · 21/09 – 27/09
NHTSA says 39% of child passenger fatalities with known restraint use were unrestrained
NHTSA's 2024 data records 677 child passenger-vehicle occupants killed in crashes; restraint use was known for 585 of them, and 229 — 39% — were unrestrained.
What the evidence says
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records 1,032 traffic deaths among children aged 14 or younger in 2024 across vehicle occupants, pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other road users, and estimates 160,850 children were injured. Of the children killed, 677 were passenger-vehicle occupants. Restraint use was known for 585 of those occupants, of whom 229 were unrestrained.
NHTSA says correctly installed child restraints can reduce fatal-injury risk in passenger-car crashes by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers, while about half of car seats are installed incorrectly. The agency directs caregivers to select a seat for the child's age and size, follow both the seat and vehicle instructions, and use a certified inspection service if needed.
Child Passenger Safety Week ran from 20 to 26 September 2026, ending with National Seat Check Saturday. These national statistics describe crash outcomes and restraint use; they do not establish why any individual crash occurred.
Why it matters
The useful distinction
A compliant child seat only protects as intended when it is appropriate for the child and installed and used correctly. Registration also helps owners receive manufacturer recall notices.
This briefing is an independent summary of the evidence sources below. Context-only links are not used as factual authority. It does not establish that a product, organisation or listing is unsafe, unlawful or non-compliant beyond what the evidence reports.