This week, Sept. 12-18, is National Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Week. During this time, state and local law enforcement agencies will be out enforcing Indiana's child passenger safety laws to ensure that parents and caregivers are properly restraining all children who are transported in motor vehicles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 6 and 8 to 14 in the United States. More than 6,000 children (ages 0 to 15) were involved in motor vehicle collisions in Indiana during 2008. Of this number, more than 40 percent were under the age of eight.

"It is the responsibility of every parent and caregiver to make sure their children are safely restrained - every seat, every trip, every time," said Neil Moore, executive director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). "When it comes to the safety of a child, there is no room for mistakes."

Indiana law states that all motor vehicle occupants must be properly restrained. For children age eight and younger, the use of proper child safety restraints is required. Older children and adults must wear a seat belt regardless of where they are seated in the vehicle.

Research has shown that child restraint use (including lap/shoulder safety belts and child safety seats) is the most effective tools in preventing serious and fatal injuries to children who are involved in a crash. NHTSA reports that child safety seats, when used properly, can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for children less than one year old and 54 percent for children between the ages of one and four years old.

A list of permanent fitting stations can be found by visiting www.preventinjury.org.