Buckle Up -- It's the Law
Child Safety Seats
The #1 killer of children ages 14 and under
is motor vehicle crashes.
 Although parents may believe their children are safer on their laps than buckled in a safety seat, experience doesn't bear this out. In a crash at highway speeds of 30 mph, a 15-pound child can generate a sudden force of greater than 300 pounds. A study of child passenger injuries estimated if lap-held children had been restrained, overall injuries would have been reduced by 30% and head injuries by 69%.
When used correctly, child safety seats are 71% effective in preventing fatalities, 67% effective in reducing serious injuries and 50% effective in preventing minor injuries.
Unfortunately, over 90% of well-meaning parents and caregivers misuse child safety seats. To assure that children are properly secured on every trip, refer to your safety seat directions. Safety Belts / Air Bags
If you or a loved one are involved in a crash, your best defense against injury or death is to buckle up. Lap/shoulder belts combined with airbags offer the most effective injury protection available today for passenger vehicle occupants. If you are in a crash, the chances are excellent that your injuries will be less severe if you wear a safety belt.
Lap/shoulder belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45% and the risk of serious injury by 55%. In light trucks these risks are reduced even more, by 60% to 65%.
One of the best defenses against the drunk or drugged driver is the use of safety belts combined with airbags. Everyone in the vehicle should be buckled up?even back seat passengers. Belts need to be worn properly with shoulder harness snug against your chest and the lap belt positioned low over your hips/pelvic area.
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