Child Passenger Safety Week is Sept. 18-24, and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding drivers to make sure your young passengers are secured properly in order to save lives.
Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death among children. On average, two children under the age of 13 were killed, and an estimated 374 were injured, every day in 2019 while riding in passenger vehicles according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While most people believe their children are properly buckled up, NHTSA estimates about half of all car seats are misused.
DPS offers the following tips to ensure children are properly restrained while riding in a vehicle:
• When selecting a car seat for your child, ensure it fits in your vehicle properly before purchasing it.
• Avoid purchasing a car seat if you are not aware of the history (i.e. yard sales, social media platforms, etc.).
• Model good behavior to young passengers and make sure you are wearing your seat belt so your children will know it’s the right thing to do.
See Wednesday's edition of the Herald for the rest of the story.
