Traffic accidents are the primary cause of infant mortality in children over 1 year. Using a child restraint system will prevent injuries to a large extent. The figures show that correct use of the system could prevent nine out of ten injuries (if the system is rear-facing) and six in ten injuries (when forward-facing). A study conducted in an officially approved laboratory in collaboration with the RACE Spanish automobile association compared what happened to two children in an accident at (64Km/h) 40 mph. While the unprotected child suffered extremely serious injuries, the child that was properly protected while travelling suffered no major injuries.
When travelling by car, a child restraint system adapted to the characteristics of each child is essential in case of an accident. Although some people might think that they would be able to keep a baby in their arms in an accident, holding a baby weighing 9 kg would be completely impossible as during a frontal collision at (70 km/h) 43 mph, it could be projected with a force of around 360 kg. Moreover, although children and adults are equally likely to have an accident when travelling by car, the consequences for children are usually far more serious if they are not properly secured. Children weigh less and are usually smaller so they can be thrown out of the seat more easily and may make contact with rigid parts of the vehicle or even be thrown out of the vehicle.
Another reason why specific safety systems are needed for children is the body structure. Aside from the obvious differences in weight and height, there are other differences, such as the size of the head compared to the rest of the body, which is huge in a baby, as the head is a quarter of the body compared to an eighth of an adult's body.