Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children under 18.‍

In the past five years, the Pediatric Trauma Program has treated nearly 200 pediatric patients from motor vehicle crashes at University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

Starting April 2, 2025, Michigan will be implementing new child passenger safety laws based on guidelines and best practices recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The updates include keeping children riding in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 2 years old, in harnessed car seats until they are at least 5 years old, in booster seats until they are 8 years old, and buckled in the back seat until they are 13 years old.

Marie Snodgrass, injury prevention program lead, and Clarissa Santana, injury prevention specialist, both working for the Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention Program at Mott, answer questions about the new laws.

What were the previous laws regarding child passenger safety?

Snodgrass: The previous laws stated that children had to be in seats in the back until they were 4 years old. 

However, this was a vague statement since it didn’t mention how they should be riding or in what kind of seats.

We saw many confused and upset parents at the trauma center, after their children were involved in crashes, who wished they had known better.

Santana: There was a lot of misunderstanding about how to properly install and use a car seat.

Consequently, kids were put in uncomfortable situations where the adult seatbelts didn’t fit them properly.

This resulted in injuries to the head, spinal cord and internal organs. These weren’t simple visits to the emergency department. They required a lot of care, long hospitalization times and surgeries.

As child passenger safety instructors, we know that these injuries could have been prevented if the child was properly restrained.

What do you hope to see with these new laws?

Santana: Our primary purpose is advocacy. 

Hopefully, more families will hear about these laws and schedule an appointment to get a car seat check or look further into the details of the car seats they're using.

It’s important to remember that guidelines evolve as we learn more. What worked 30 years ago, when there were fewer cars on the road, people were driving slower and there were fewer distractions, will not work now.

Snodgrass: We advocated for these changes for over a decade because we wanted parents to know that the laws align with what we know to be best practices.

We do not want anyone to be punished because of these new updates. 

In fact, there is an accompanying bill which states that if someone gets a citation or a ticket for not having a proper car seat or for improperly restraining their child, the ticket can be waived.

To do so, they must acquire an appropriate car seat and meet with a certified child passenger safety technician.

Are there any other safety measures that parents should be aware of?

Snodgrass: Regardless of the outside temperature, never leave your kids in the car, even if you’re running a quick errand.

Cars can heat up quickly and it’s not safe even if you crack the windows open.

Heat stroke can happen when the body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit. 

A baby’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s body.

Santana: Also, check in and around your vehicle after you exit and before you lock the car.

Especially in busy neighborhoods, a child could sneak into the car while playing hide and seek, for example. 

If you’re looking away when you lock the car, they could be trapped inside.

Get more information on child passenger safety and injury prevention.

Find a certified child passenger safety technician near you at Safe Kids Worldwide.

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