What UK Parents Can Learn From Sweden's Remarkable Child Car Safety Record

Sweden Reached a Remarkable Milestone - But Experts Say Awareness Is Now Slipping

When it comes to child car safety, Sweden is often viewed as the gold standard.

In fact, in 2021, not a single child under the age of 15 was killed in a passenger car on Swedish roads - a remarkable achievement and a major milestone in road safety.

For decades, Sweden has led the way in protecting child passengers, largely through its commitment to rear-facing car seats, strict safety standards and ongoing public education. However, new research suggests that even in one of the safest countries in the world, awareness of child car seat recommendations may be beginning to decline.

Researchers are now warning that a growing number of parents are unfamiliar with current child car safety guidance, highlighting the importance of continuing to educate new generations of families about best practice.

In 2021, not a single child under the age of 15 was killed in a passenger car on Swedish roads - a historic milestone in road safety. Yet new research and recent survey data suggest that awareness of child car safety recommendations is declining. Today, 15 percent of Swedish parents with young children are unfamiliar with current child car seat recommendations - three times more than just five years ago.

Sweden has long been regarded as a global leader in child road safety. Since the 1960s and 1970s, child fatalities in traffic have decreased by 92 percent, largely due to the development of rear-facing travel and stringent safety standards.

Despite this success, researchers are now seeing signs of a growing knowledge gap among parents.

Anna Carlsson, Researcher at Chalmers Industriteknik, said:

"It is an incredible achievement, but we must remember that new generations of parents need access to this knowledge. We cannot take awareness for granted. Continuous education is essential if we want to maintain the safety leadership Sweden has built over many decades."

Survey Reveals Widespread Uncertainty Around Safety Recommendations

A recent survey conducted by Axkid and Volvia (2025) confirms that an increasing number of parents are unsure about current child car safety recommendations.

In 2025, 15 percent of respondents stated that they were unfamiliar with child car seat guidelines, compared to just 5 percent in 2020.

Only 38 percent knew the earliest recommended age at which a child should transition to a forward-facing car seat.

These findings were among the topics discussed at this year's Child and Safety Conference, hosted by Axkid at World of Volvo in Gothenburg.

The international conference brought together experts from research, healthcare and industry to discuss the future of child road safety.

One of the keynote speakers was Maria Klingegård, Traffic Safety Researcher at Folksam, who presented new research on fatal car crashes involving children.

She said:

"We see that an alarmingly high proportion of children involved in fatal crashes were either completely unrestrained or not travelling in rear-facing car seats. Our analysis shows that approximately half of the children aged 0-3 who lost their lives could have survived if they had been travelling rear-facing. Keeping children rear-facing for as long as possible remains the single most important factor in protecting children in vehicles."

The study was conducted by Folksam, Chalmers Industriteknik and Volvo Cars and is based on analyses of fatal crashes involving children under the age of 15 in Sweden between 1992 and 2024.

As part of the research, the team also carried out an in-depth analysis of children aged 0-6 to assess the impact of rear-facing car seats on survival outcomes in severe crashes.

Anton Wall, Vice President and Commercial Director at Axkid, said:

"We want to take responsibility for child safety across the entire ecosystem. It is not enough to focus solely on our own product category - we need a broader perspective. By bringing together leading experts and researchers from across the industry, we can share insights and strengthen our collective efforts to protect children on the roads."

Why Sweden's Approach Stands Out

Sweden's commitment to rear-facing travel stretches back decades.

In addition to being an early adopter of seatbelt legislation, the country has consistently pioneered innovations that improve road safety. These efforts contributed to the historic milestone reached in 2021, when no child under the age of 15 died in a passenger car on Swedish roads.

Anna Carlsson said:

"This achievement is evidence that Sweden's long-term approach to road safety has been effective. We are unique in having detailed national crash data spanning several decades, allowing us to identify which measures truly save lives."

Even when children begin to outgrow their car seats physically, the safest option is to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible - ideally up to the age of seven, according to Axkid's recommendations.

However, child passenger safety does not end there.

Anna Carlsson also emphasises the importance of using a high-back booster seat or booster cushion until the age of 10-12, as a child's pelvic bones are not yet fully developed and the seatbelt may otherwise ride up onto the abdomen during a collision.

What Can UK Parents Take From This?

One of the most striking findings from this research is that even in a country with one of the best child road safety records in the world, experts believe parent education remains essential.

For parents, the message is simple: staying informed about current car seat recommendations can make a real difference.

As children grow, it can be tempting to move to the next stage of car seat sooner than necessary. However, evidence from decades of Swedish research continues to show that keeping children rear-facing for as long as possible provides significantly greater protection in the event of a collision.

While every family's situation is different, taking the time to understand the latest safety guidance and ensuring children are travelling in age-appropriate restraints remains one of the most important steps parents can take to help keep their children safe on the road.

 

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