Palm Beach County, FL – The U.S. Department of Transportation has created a new consumer program to help parents and caregivers find child safety seats that fit properly in their vehicles in a measure to improve child passenger safety and Federal Child seat standards, starting in the 2011 model year. The review was ordered by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who also commissioned the development of new side impact safety standards by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
New standards and measures to protect children are needed, as side impact crashes account for one-third of all highway deaths among children under 13 years old. According to current standards, child seats are required to withstand forces stronger than 99.5 percent of all real-world crashes and are effective. However, Secretary LaHood encouraged NHTSA to increase effectiveness of the seats.
NHTSA will institute the new program beginning with the 2011 model year to make it easier for parents to choose child safety seats. Car manufacturers will recommend specific seats in various price ranges that fit for individual vehicles. Car manufacturers including Nissan and others in Europe already provide similar recommendations.
As an auto accident law firm, our attorneys see a number of injuries that could have been prevented had a safety seat been installed correctly. It is estimated that seven out of 10 parents do not install seats correctly, which puts their children at risk. We offer a free presentation on the correct use and installation on child safety and booster seats, which is free to the public and schools. To attend one of the presentations or if you or your organization is interested in having this child seat safety discussion presented to your audience, please contact our offices at (561) 366-9099.
Scott Murray and Jason Guari are partners in the law firm of Murray Guari Trial Attorneys PL. The firm founded in 2005, and is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, at 1525 N. Flagler Drive. Mr. Murray and Mr. Guari can be contacted at (561) 366-9099. Additional information about Murray Guari Trial Attorneys PL may be obtained from the firm’s website at www.murrayguari.com.
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Tracy Vaspoli, Murray Guari Trial Attorneys PL
(561) 366-9099
Chrissy Lane, BARD Marketing/PR
(610) 723-1738
