Sweden is one of the safest countries in the world for children in cars. However, research published by Folksam in 2025 reveals a sobering reality: many children who died in traffic accidents could have survived - had they been using the correct protection.
The study is based on a review of every fatal accident in Sweden involving children (ages 0–6) as car passengers between 1992 and 2024, covering a total of 99 children.
Nearly Half Could Have Survived
The most striking result of the study is this:
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Up to 48% of children aged 0–3 could have survived if they had been seated in a rear-facing position.
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Even among children aged 4–6, it is estimated that 27% could potentially have survived if they were still traveling rear-facing.
These are not small margins—these are differences that, in many cases, are life-deciding.
Many Were Not Seated According to Recommendations
The study also shows that many of the children who perished were not seated according to safety recommendations:
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69% of children aged 0–3 were not seated rear-facing.
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33% of the youngest children were completely unrestrained.
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Among children aged 4–6, 20% were unbuckled.
Why is Rear-Facing So Much Safer?
A young child’s body is still developing. Their head is large in proportion to their body, and their neck is incredibly fragile.
During a collision, a rear-facing seat protects the child by:
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Distributing the force across the entire back.
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Reducing the load on the neck and head.
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Cradling the body within the seat’s protective shell.
In crash tests, the load on the neck has been shown to be up to three times higher in forward-facing seats compared to rear-facing ones.
Safety is More Than Just the Right Seat
At the same time, the study highlights that the car seat is only one piece of the puzzle.
Many of the most serious accidents occurred in older vehicles with inferior crash protection. In some cases, the force of the impact was so high that the outcome likely would not have changed, regardless of the seat used.
However, a clear trend is visible: in newer cars with stronger cabins and better safety systems, the chances of surviving even severe accidents increase significantly. Child passenger safety, therefore, depends on several interacting factors:
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How the child is seated.
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How the protection is used.
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The safety standards of the vehicle.
When Protection is Not Enough
It is also important to remain nuanced. Not every accident is survivable.
In approximately 40% of the cases, the collisions were so severe—often involving extreme speeds or heavy vehicles—that the outcome likely could not have been altered. But this does not make the other cases any less significant.
The Takeaway
Perhaps the most important takeaway is not a single rule, but an insight:
Using the right protection, the right way, in the safest possible vehicle, increases the margins when the unexpected happens. Even though Sweden already maintains a high level of safety, this study shows there is still room to reduce risks further—often through simple, everyday decisions.