CHILDREN/CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY
Future Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Week dates:
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Putting a child’s safety seat into a vehicle can be very confusing. Doing it properly is important for your child’s safety! For tips on proper installation click on any of these links to external websites:
Check-Up Events are set up in public areas, such as shopping center parking lots. Checks are conducted for a set period of time (usually 3-4 hours). Parents and caregivers bring their child’s safety seat, motor vehicle, and child to the event. Trained personnel (Technicians) perform an evaluation for all children in the vehicle who are under 13 years old. They will check for:
To find out when the next event will be held in your area, visit the Nebraska Safe Kid’s website and click on “Event Calendar.”
Safe Kids Nebraska Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-800-745-9311
Like Check-Up Events, parents can get information and assistance on the proper use of child safety seats at Inspection Stations. Unlike Check-Up Events, Inspection Stations are permanent locations. Most Inspection Stations require you to schedule an appointment. Click here to view a list of Inspection Stations located in Nebraska.
The purpose of this application is to be recognized as a Nebraska Child Safety Seat Inspection Station. Applicants must be either a political subdivision of 501c3 non–profit organization. Upon recognition as a Nebraska Child Safety Seat Inspection Station the organization may conduct child safety seat inspections as outlined in the application guidelines. Nebraska Child Safety Seat Inspection Stations are eligible for funding assistance to purchase child restraint systems for low-income families.
Prior to completing a mini-grant contract every state, county, community, law enforcement agency, organization, etc.
eligible to apply and receive federal funding must read and comply with the guidelines of
the Policies, Procedures, and Grant Contract Application document.
Click to download the “Grant Contract Proposal Application Guide and Policies and Procedures.”
Differences between what is Legal and what is Recommended.
Parents and other caregivers frequently ask the question “what is the law regarding buckling up my child?” Most parents and caregivers assume that the law is the safest and is what is recommended by safety experts. This, however, is not always the case. The Nebraska child passenger safety and safety belt laws, like other states’ restraint laws, are the result of compromises between the “best practice” recommendations of safety experts and provisions that the legislators feel are practical, enforceable, and will be tolerated by the general public and their own constituents.
Occupant restraint laws can be considered to be minimum standards. The two biggest differences between what is legal vs. what is recommended are:
1. The laws are based on age whereas “best practice” recommendations for the best crash protection are based mostly on weight and physical development, and that
2. None of these laws require that all occupants be buckled up at all times in all seating positions.
Parents and caregivers can be assured that if they are following best practice guidelines and recommendations for restraining children, it WILL be legal as well.
Restraint that is required or allowed under the Nebraska occupant restraint laws ( 60-6,267, 60-6,268):
All children up to age six must ride correctly secured in a federally-approved child safety seat.
Children ages six up to age eighteen must ride secured in a safety belt or child safety seat.
Children up to age eighteen are prohibited from riding in cargo areas.
Childcare providers must transport all children securely in an appropriate safety seat or safety belt.
Drivers and front seat passengers are required to ride buckled up in a safety belt or child safety seat. Note, however, that everybody in the vehicle must be buckled up if the driver holds a provisional operators permit (POP) or a school permit.
“Best Practice” recommendations for providing maximum protection for an infant, child, or adult can be found on the Safe Kids Nebraska website. For additional information on restraining children past age five Click Here.
During 2008
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children of every age from 2 to 14 years old. In the United States, an average of 5 children 0-14 years old were killed and 568 were injured every day in motor vehicle crashes during 2006. (Source: NHTSA)
Child safety seat use is surveyed annually through observations conducted in rural and urban counties in Nebraska. Among the children observed in the 2008 study, 96.8% were riding in child safety seats/booster seats. This is an increase of 3.6% from the 2007 child restraint usage rate. (NOHS)
Link to:
Link to Additional Crash Statistics
Downloadable Order Forms (pdf):
Request Items for a Check-Up Event or Presentation: