10Evidence A

When riding in a car, use a car seat for children under 4, don’t hold them in your arms

Infants under one year of age using car seats when traveling in vehicles have an approximately 70% lower probability of sustaining fatal injuries in car accidents. For children aged 1 to 4, the probability is lower by approximately half. Holding them in one's arms does not provide this effect.

Cost

A seat costs between 300 and 2,000 yuan and lasts several…

Benefit

According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car seats lower the risk of fata…

Cost

A seat costs between 300 and 2,000 yuan and lasts several years. It adds about one minute to each trip to buckle the child in.

Benefit

According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car seats lower the risk of fatal injury for infants under one year old by 71% and for children aged 1 to 4 by 54%. The World Health Organization reports a similar 71% reduction in infant deaths.

Original sources

NHTSA (2024). Occupant Protection in Passenger Vehicles: 2022 Data (DOT HS 813 573). https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813573 ; WHO (2025). Road traffic injuries fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries

Open source link

Book note

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the seat correctly; a faulty installation offers no protection. Infants under one year must be placed rear‑facing. These figures are based on official U.S. crash data.