SAFE KIDS Seminole County urges families to buckle up the entire family when traveling. Buckling up is still the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries from motor vehicle crashes on America’s roadways. Chances are that someone that you know will be involved in a car crash this year. If they are unbuckled, they’re 50 percent more likely to be injured or killed. Unfortunately, many of those who die will be children; since motor vehicle crashes are still the leading cause of death for children in America.
Adults who buckle up send a positive message to their children. In fact, research shows that when parents are buckled, children are buckled 94% of the time. We find when a driver is unbuckled, children riding in the same vehicle are unbuckled. In a 30 mile-per-hour crash, a child riding unrestrained is hit with a force equivalent to falling from a third story window.
Community child safety seat check-up events held throughout Florida indicate that 96% of the child safety seats inspected were installed incorrectly. SAFE KIDS Seminole County has a long history of trying to combat these staggering statistics. Each week the Coalition supports a checkup event or fitting station in Seminole County.
Many parents are unaware that they should refer to the child safety seat and vehicle manufacturer’s instructions for guidance on the proper installation. Proper installation takes a combination of selecting the correct child safety seat for the child and securing the seat to the vehicles.