A new AAA analysis of nationwide crash data finds that children are moving out of car seats and booster seats well before they’re ready, a trend the organization is highlighting locally as National Child Passenger Safety Week runs through Sept. 26.
Looking at crashes between 2020 and 2024, AAA found that 78% of injured 3-year-olds were properly restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat. By age 6, that figure fell to just 45%. Separately, an analysis of 2025 inspection data from the National Digital Car Seat Check Form found that 86.5% of children evaluated by certified technicians had already moved to an adult seat belt before they were ready for one.
“Parents spend years making safety decisions for their children, and that responsibility doesn’t end as they grow older,” said Ragina Ali, AAA Club Alliance’s public and government affairs manager for Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. “If a seat belt doesn’t fit an older child properly, a booster seat is still the safest option. There’s no need to rush the transition.”
What Maryland Law Requires
Maryland law requires children under 8 to ride in an appropriate child restraint unless they are 4 feet 9 inches or taller; children 8 to 16 not in a child restraint must be secured with a seat belt, under Maryland Transportation Article §22-412.2. That’s consistent with guidance the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration issued earlier this month for Child Passenger Safety Week, though AAA’s data suggests many children need a booster seat well beyond that legal minimum for a seat belt to fit safely.
Angela Brown, senior director of driver safety training at the National Safety Council, said even children ages 10 to 12 who look ready for an adult seat belt often still need a booster. “Children ages 10 to 12 may appear ready for an adult seat belt, but many still need booster seats to ensure the seat belt fits properly and safely,” Brown said.
Where Southern Maryland Families Can Get a Free Check
Nearly three-fourths of car seats inspected by certified technicians in 2025 — 73.7% — were installed or used incorrectly, according to the same data, yet only about one in five parents report ever seeking expert help with installation. All three Southern Maryland counties offer free, certified inspections:
- Calvert County: Checks are available by appointment through the Calvert County Health Department (410-535-5400), the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office (410-535-2800), or the Maryland State Police Prince Frederick barrack (410-535-1400).
- Charles County: The Charles County Department of Health offers on-site checks by appointment (301-609-6826), and the La Plata Police Department also performs inspections (301-934-1500).
- St. Mary’s County: Free checks by certified technicians are available through the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and periodically through the Maryland State Police Leonardtown barrack.
Families anywhere in Maryland can also find year-round free checks through Maryland Kids in Safety Seats (443-842-0508), a Maryland Department of Health program, or schedule a free virtual seat check with a certified National Safety Council technician if no local appointment is available.
Common Mistakes
The most common problems technicians found in 2025 inspections were seats installed too loosely, forward-facing seats not using the top tether strap, and harness straps left too loose. Nationally, used correctly, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
AAA recommends keeping children in their current restraint by height, weight and developmental readiness rather than age alone, using the top tether strap on forward-facing seats whenever possible, and checking that a harness is snug enough that no excess webbing can be pinched at the shoulder. For a child using a seat belt, the lap belt should sit low across the hips, the shoulder belt should cross the center of the chest, and the child should be able to sit that way — back against the seat, knees bending at the seat’s edge — for the entire trip.
More than 3.7 million children were involved in crashes nationwide between 2020 and 2024, with more than 500,000 injured and more than 2,800 killed, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s analysis of U.S. Department of Transportation data.
