When we think about keeping our kids safe, we often focus on what happens at home, at school, or online. But some of the biggest safety risks families face can happen during something we do almost every day: getting in the car.
A September 2026 study from Bagen Law examined child passenger safety across all 50 states, looking at fatal crashes, hot-car deaths, and gaps in state laws designed to protect children.
According to the research, Mississippi has the highest Children in Cars Risk Index in the country, closely followed by South Carolina and Wyoming.
The findings are a reminder that child passenger safety isn’t simply about buckling kids in before pulling out of the driveway. Car-seat use, age-appropriate restraints, hot-car awareness, and state safety laws can all play a role.
How the Study Measured Child Passenger Risk
Researchers examined several factors to determine where children may face greater risks while traveling in vehicles.
The study considered the number of children involved in fatal crashes between 2020 and 2024, child heatstroke deaths associated with vehicles between 1998 and 2025, and gaps in state laws covering car seats and children left unattended in vehicles.
Those factors were combined into a Children in Cars Risk Index, with a higher score representing greater risk according to the study’s methodology.
10 States With the Highest Children in Cars Risk Scores
| State | Legal Protection Gap | Child Heatstroke Deaths 1998–2025 | Children Involved in Fatal Crashes 2020–2024 | Risk Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 3 | 23 | 1,018 | 88.9 |
| South Carolina | 4 | 25 | 1,520 | 88.6 |
| Wyoming | 4 | 1 | 215 | 88.4 |
| Montana | 4 | 3 | 331 | 84.2 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 23 | 1,114 | 81.5 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 12 | 661 | 81.0 |
| Alabama | 3 | 34 | 1,395 | 76.2 |
| Arkansas | 3 | 20 | 887 | 76.0 |
| Arizona | 3 | 46 | 1,856 | 73.5 |
| South Dakota | 4 | 5 | 160 | 71.4 |
One thing that stands out is the number of Southern states appearing near the top of the list. Mississippi, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas all landed in the top 10.
Mississippi Has the Highest Overall Risk Score
Mississippi received a Children in Cars Risk Index score of 88.9 out of 100, the highest in the study.
Between 2020 and 2024, 1,018 children were involved in fatal crashes in the state. Mississippi has also recorded 23 child heatstroke deaths involving vehicles since 1998.
The study also identified gaps in the state’s legal protections surrounding children and vehicles, contributing to its overall score.
For families, those numbers reinforce an important point: laws are only one layer of protection. Parents and caregivers still need to make child passenger safety part of their everyday routine.
South Carolina Is Close Behind
South Carolina scored 88.6, putting it just behind Mississippi.
The state recorded 1,520 children involved in fatal crashes during the five-year period examined and 25 child vehicular heatstroke deaths since 1998.
Researchers also pointed to gaps in laws surrounding children being left unattended in vehicles and the state’s child-restraint requirements.
Wyoming Shows Why Population Matters
Wyoming presents an interesting part of the study.
Only one child vehicular heatstroke death was recorded there during the period examined, and its raw number of children involved in fatal crashes—215—is considerably lower than totals in more populated states.
However, when researchers considered population, Wyoming recorded a high rate of children involved in fatal crashes. That helped push the state to an overall risk score of 88.4.
It’s an important reminder when looking at studies like this: raw totals don’t always tell the entire story.
Montana Ranks Fourth
Montana received a risk score of 84.2.
The study recorded 331 children involved in fatal crashes from 2020 through 2024 and three child heatstroke deaths since 1998.
Researchers also identified gaps in the state’s laws concerning children left unattended in vehicles.
Kentucky Rounds Out the Top Five
Kentucky came in fifth with a risk score of 81.5.
More than 1,100 children were involved in fatal crashes during the five-year period included in the research, while 23 child heatstroke deaths were recorded between 1998 and 2025.
The study also examined Kentucky’s laws surrounding unattended children and child-restraint requirements as part of its overall score.
Hot Cars Remain a Serious Concern
While Mississippi topped the overall index, another statistic deserves attention.
According to the study, Texas has recorded 155 child vehicular heatstroke deaths since 1998, the highest total in the country.
Hot-car tragedies aren’t something families should think about only during record-breaking heat waves. Vehicle interiors can become dangerously hot quickly, making it important to develop habits that help prevent a child from accidentally being left behind.
Parents and caregivers can create reminders such as placing a purse, work bag, shoe, or another essential item in the back seat when transporting a young child.
And, of course, children should never be intentionally left alone inside a parked vehicle.
Car Seats Only Work When They’re Used Correctly
Having the right car seat is important, but installing and using it correctly matters just as much.
Steve Bagen of Bagen Law noted that car-seat misuse remains common, with problems including loose installations, improperly fitted harnesses, incorrect positioning, and moving children into the next restraint stage too soon.
That’s something many of us can relate to as parents. Car seats aren’t always the easiest things in the world to install, and requirements change as children grow.
Taking a few extra minutes to check the seat, harness, and fit before driving can make a difference.
Parents can also consider having their child’s car seat inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, particularly after purchasing a new seat or moving a child into a different restraint stage.
What Parents Can Take Away From the Study
You don’t have to live in one of the states at the top of this list to make child passenger safety a priority.
A few simple habits can help:
- Use a car seat or booster appropriate for your child’s age, height, and weight.
- Follow both the car-seat manufacturer’s instructions and your state’s child passenger laws.
- Check that harness straps are properly positioned and snug.
- Don’t rush children into the next type of car seat or seat belt before they’re ready.
- Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
- Create a back-seat reminder whenever you’re transporting babies or young children.
- Periodically check your child’s car seat as they grow.
- Replace car seats when required after certain crashes or when they reach the manufacturer’s expiration date.
The Bottom Line
Statistics like these aren’t meant to make parents afraid every time they buckle their children into the car. Instead, they can serve as a reminder that some of the simplest safety habits are worth slowing down for.
We can’t control everything that happens once we’re on the road. We can make sure children are properly restrained, double-check the back seat, learn our state’s requirements, and avoid rushing children into seat belts before they’re ready.
Those few extra moments before turning the key may be some of the most important minutes of the trip.
Source: Bagen Law, September 2026 Children in Cars Risk Index study.
