Traffic Safety Program

New York's 4 Steps 4 Kids

For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers should follow the "4 Steps 4 Kids" guidelines developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for determining which restraint system is best suited to protect children based upon their age and size:

  1. For the best possible protection, keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At as minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds.
  2. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least 1 and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).
  3. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall).
  4. When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall) they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).

Traffic Safety Board

Child Passenger Safety

- Child Passenger Safety Seat Flyer (pdf, 52k)

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Press Releases

2008 [ Show Archives ]
2008 [ Show Current ]
Back To School Safely (2008-09-09)
Target to Host Operation Safe Child Event (2008-06-19)
Agway in Endicott to Hold a Child Safety Seat Event (2008-06-17)
Driving in Work Zones (2008-06-12)
May Proclaimed Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month (2008-05-09)
Endicott Police Department to Hold a Child Safety Seat Event (2008-05-01)
Tire Safety Awareness (2008-04-28)
Operation Safe Stop (2008-04-01)
Savvy Cyclist Class (2008-03-05)
National Sleep Awareness Week March 3—9 (2008-03-04)
Aggressive Driving (2008-01-03)

2007 [ Show Archives ]
2007 [ Show Current ]
Safe Winter Driving (2007-11-28)
Get it Together - Buckle Up (2007-11-12)
Do you have a child safety seat? Did you fill out your registration card? (2007-11-06)
National School Bus Safety Week October 22-26, 2007 (2007-10-22)
Bike Rodeo on October 20, 2007 (2007-10-19)
The Broome County Sheriff's Office to Hold a Child Safety Seat Event (2007-10-19)
Broome County Schools to Celebrate International Walk to School Day on October 3, 2007 (2007-10-02)
Take Charge of YOUR Driving Behavior. Reduce YOUR Crash Risk. Avoid High-Risk Driving Mistakes. (2007-09-26)
Lourdes Center for Family Health to Hold a Child Safety Seat Event (2007-08-29)
Child Safety Seat Event at Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network (2007-08-27)
Bike Rodeo - August 25, 2007 (2007-08-13)
National Stop on Red Week (2007-08-03)
Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day (2007-07-16)
Heelys-A Wheel in the Heel - Are They Safe Enough For Your Kids? (2007-07-12)
Bike Rodeo, June 2, 2007 at Recreation Park (2007-05-25)
Child Safety Seat Event, June 2, 2007 at the Empower Federal Credit Union (2007-05-25)
Child Safety Seat Event (2007-04-10)
Operation Safe Stop (2007-03-22)
Child Safety Seat Event (2007-02-12)
National Child Passenger Safety Week - February 11-17, 2007 (2007-02-05)

2006 [ Show Archives ]
2006 [ Show Current ]
New York State Association of Traffic Safety Boards Conducts Contest Addressing Teen Driving Safety Issues (2006-12-14)
Click It or Ticket! (2006-11-15)
Operation Safe Stop (2006-10-09)
Walk to School Day (2006-09-27)
Drive Safely Work Week: October 2nd-6th (2006-09-26)
Back to School Safety (2006-09-05)

Engineering   -   Education   -   Enforcement

Christine Muss
Traffic Safety Program Coordinator
Broome County Health Department
225 Front Street
Binghamton, NY 13905
Phone: 607.778.2807
Fax: 607.778.3998
Email:

Craig Whitten
Highway Safety Representative
Governor's Traffic Safety Committee
6 Empire State Plaza
Room 414, Albany, NY 12228
Phone: 518-486-6718
Fax: 518.473.6946
Email:
www.safeny.org