The first key to child safety in transportation is education.  Parents and caregivers should also remember that accidents often only take a few seconds to occur.  Below are some tips to assist in preventing transportation related accidents involving children: 

      1.   Children under age of 4 must be transported in child safety seats.

      2.     Children should use booster seats until they reach a height 4 foot, 9 nine inches.

      3.     Children should ride in the back seat of cars until the age of 13 years.

4.     EVERYONE  in the car, including children, should be buckled up.

5.      Drivers should be attentive before they even get into the car. Walk around your parked vehicle to check for children, or anything that can attract a child, such as pets or toys, look under or behind your vehicle before getting in and starting the engine.

6.      Many people don’t realize that a child’s body heats up 3-5 times faster than an adult’s and can be at risk from being left in a hot car for just a few minutes. Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman blogs about her safety presentation to more than 90 second graders at the William Halley Elementary School located in Fairfax Station, Virginia.