Abstract
Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Territories have child passenger safety laws ("car seat laws"). However, many of these laws have significant gaps and exemptions in coverage that diminish the protection that all children need in motor vehicles. This Fact Sheet presents additional information about this topic under the following headings: Essential Components of a Strong Law; Upgrade Child Safety Laws - Eliminate Exemptions; Conduct Combined Public Awareness and Enforcement Campaigns; National Initiative for Increasing Seat Belt Use Nationwide; and Highway Safety Grant Programs for Occupant Protection Activities. (Author/publisher)