American safety regulators are concerned that more children are sitting in the front of cars, where they are at greater risk during an accident.
American safety regulators are concerned that more children are sitting in the front of cars, where they are at greater risk during an accident.
According to , the US government released a new survey that found that about 30 per cent of children aged between four and seven were sitting in the front seat. The survey also said that 15 per cent of infants and 10 per cent of toddlers aged between one and three were being placed in the front seat.
The safety inspectors conducting the poll observed 3 500 children in passenger vehicles, while monitoring motor safety habits at 1 100 intersections in the country.
“Youngsters are at greater risk of severe injury or death when they’re involved in a crash while riding in the front seat,” Dr Jeffrey Runge, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said at a news conference this week.
“It is vitally important that all parents secure their children in the back seat. The back is always the safest place for kids to ride.”
Safety regulators advised that placing children in the back seat could reduce the risk of serious injury or death during an accident by nearly 40 per cent.
Children in the front seat are also at risk of injury caused by the force of the inflating passenger airbag.
