HELP ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN

Well-crafted laws save children’s lives and communicate best practices to caregivers. Consider AVs and children as an issue to discuss when you have opportunities to talk with state legislators and policymakers. The main message is that very little is being discussed about the implications of having children in vehicles without a driver. But there are critical concerns, some of which need to be addressed in legislation.

At what age should a child be allowed to ride in an AV alone?
Who has the responsibility for ensuring a child is properly restrained in an AV?

We urge you to consider being an advocate for children in AVs. Given the rapid pace of change with this technology, we cannot afford to wait to communicate about the unique needs of children.

Learn if AVs Are on Your Community’s Roads

NHTSA is collecting information about AV test locations on public roads from states and companies in the test tracking tool below.

The Consortium considered how existing U.S. and international laws and regulations currently protect child passengers. Knowing that amendments to some laws and regulations will be proposed to enable the introduction of AVs; will children be more likely to ride in the front seat of AVs? Will some children ride without adult supervision?

The advocacy investments we collectively make today will help keep children in AVs safe in the years to come.

The past decade of ride-sharing is an example of how policies have lagged behind consumer technologies.

In the U.S., in nearly all cases, state laws do not distinguish who is responsible for providing a child restraint or for their proper use in ride-sharing vehicles. Despite the emergence of ride-sharing and ride-sourcing apps, these ambiguities in state laws lead to confusion among the public and challenges to law enforcement.