About Kids in Safety Seats (KISS)

Kids In Safety Seats (KISS) is a state-wide, program funded through the Maryland Highway Safety Office.   Our mission is to reduce injuries and death among Maryland’s children by helping people to obtain and use car seats and booster seats correctly each time a child rides in a motor vehicle. 

Child Passenger Safety IS injury prevention:  

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injuries and death among children 5-16 years old in the United States _{(https://www.cdc.gov/injury/images/lccharts/leading_causes_of_death_age_group_2016_1056w814h.gif)​}

In 2016, 12 children under age 16 were killed and 3,808 were seriously injured as child passengers in Maryland (CODES, 2016). 

Based on car seat inspection summaries, in FFY17, almost 84% of the car seats inspected in Maryland have some sort of misuse. Misuse may include: children riding in the wrong type of car seat, car seats that are not correctly installed in the vehicle or using car seats that have been recalled, broken, expired or been in a crash.

 KISS Services

• ​Car Seat Assistance Programs
• Reduced cost purchase program (for financially eligible families)
• Special Needs Loaner Program
• Technical Assistance:
  
• Presentations/Training
• Skype “Virtual” car seat inspections
• “In-person” or community car seat checkup events
• Child Passenger Safety Information Clearinghouse
• 800 Helpline
• Dedicated email
• Dedicate website
• Educational materials

 Through these services, caregivers can learn: