When riding in a car, use a car seat for children under 4, don’t hold them in your arms
Grade ABig benefitLifespanHigh costLittle timeNo willpower
For infants under one year old, using a car seat when riding cuts the risk of a fatal injury in a crash by roughly 70%. For children aged 1 to 4, the risk drops by about half. Holding a child in your arms provides no such protection; in a sudden stop you simply cannot keep them secure.
- Benefit
- According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car seats lower the risk of fatal injury for infants under one year old by 71% and for children aged 1 to 4 by 54%. The World Health Organization reports a similar 71% reduction in infant deaths.
- Notes
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the seat correctly; a faulty installation offers no protection. Infants under one year must be placed rear‑facing. These figures are based on official U.S. crash data.
Sources · 2
- NHTSA (2024). Occupant Protection in Passenger Vehicles: 2022 Data (DOT HS 813 573). crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPubli…
- WHO (2025). Road traffic injuries fact sheet. who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-tra…