Awareness is the key to reducing the number of children who are injured or killed in car crashes.

One year ago, a new Maine law went into effect to protect our children from their greatest threat: car crashes. The Booster Seat Law was upgraded to include the “forgotten children” – those age four to eight who were not being properly protected while riding in a car.

Our previous law only protected children under age four. Now, children ages four to eight who weigh less than 80 pounds must ride in a child safety restraint, such as a booster seat. In addition, children under age 12 who weigh less than 100 pounds must ride in the back seat, whenever possible.

Before the new law, only 7 percent of children in Maine who should have been riding in a booster seat actually were. Those who weren’t were at risk because they could not fit correctly in an adult seat belt and, therefore, the seat belt could not protect them well. Booster seats raise the child into the adult seat belt system so it contacts the strong parts of their body to spread the forces in a crash.

Many parents misunderstand the dynamics of a crash and the risk their children face each time they ride in the car.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an average of seven children die in car crashes every day. For each death, 45 children are hospitalized with serious injuries, and another 1,100 require medical care in an emergency room or doctor’s office.

These numbers show us that the risk of injury and death due to motor vehicle crashes exceed any other threat our children face. In fact, children are at greater risk of dying in a crash than from all childhood diseases combined.

The threat of injury and death from car crashes can be reduced with the proper use of child safety seats. Safety seats have been shown to be effective in reducing the risks by 71 percent for rear-facing seats and 54 percent for forward-facing seats. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the use of belt-positioning booster seats lowers the risk of injury to children in crashes by 59 percent compared to a vehicle seat belt alone.

National Child Passenger Safety Week is celebrated each February. This year it begins today and continues until Feb. 14. This special week is designed to raise awareness about safety issues when transporting children. To help protect children in Maine, state agencies, local public safety departments and the Maine Coalition for Safe Kids provide information, inspection and education throughout the state.

Suzanne Cook is the statewide coordinator for the Maine Coalition for Safe Kids. She is also a certified child passenger safety technician instructor. She resides in Monmouth with her six children.