During Child Passenger Safety Week, February 11-17, the Kelly C. Wike State Farm Insurance Agency joins the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to remind families that the theme for this year, “Buckle Up for Life!” is a consistent safety message that people should buckle up through their entire life – from their first ride home after birth, continuing throughout life into adulthood, including senior citizens.
Everyone should buckle up every time they ride in a motor vehicle.
There are special considerations for children. As children progress through different stages of growth and development, their child restraint needs changed, and it is important that parents don’t miss a step in safely restraining their children. According to the 2006 Partnership for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) Fact and Trend Report, last year in Pennsylvania, 84 percent of children between the ages of birth and eight were restrained. That same report states that last year in Pennsylvania, only 48 percent of children, ages four to eight, were restrained. Clearly, a step is being missed in teaching older children to use proper restraints.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has set four steps for kids. By educating children on each step in occupant protection, they will learn to “Buckle Up for Life!”
The four steps for kids include:
1. Infants ride facing in infant seats until they weigh at least 20 pounds AND are at least one year of age.
2. Forward facing toddler seats from age one and at least 20 pounds to around age four and at least 40 pounds.
3. Booster seats from about four years old and at least 40 pounds to age 8, unless 4’9”.
4. Lap and shoulder safety belts at age eight or older and 4’9” tall. Children under 13 should ride in the back seat of the vehicle.
The National Highway and Safety Administration’s National Center for Health Statistics and Analysis research has shown “every day in the United States, an average of five children age 14 and younger were killed and 640 were injured every day in motor vehicle crashes during 2005.”
The second message for this year’s “Buckle Up for Life!” theme is that by buckling up your seatbelt on every ride, you may be saving your own life if involved in a crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Health Statistics and Analysis research has show “lap/shoulder safety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat occupants (age five and older) of passenger cars by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent.”
Under Pennsylvania law, all drivers are responsible for securing children in the appropriate child restraint system. All drivers are responsible for the front seat occupants to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt system. All drivers under 18 years of age may not operate a motor vehicle in which the number of passengers exceeds the number of seat belts in the vehicle.
Those unable to afford a car seat can call 1-800-CAR-BELT to find the nearest car seat loner program.
For more information, call 1-800-CAR-BELT or the Kelly C. Wike State Farm Insurance Agency at 684-0502.
