Buckle up for Your Child's Life, Too

You probably know that if you don't wear a seatbelt, you're more likely to die in an auto accident than a driver who buckles up. But did you know that if you drive without a seatbelt, you are also likely to leave your infant or child unbuckled?

According to the National Safety Council, state-by-state surveys show significant declines in safety belt use for kids whose parents go unbuckled. Failure to protect infants and children with car seats and seatbelts results in tragedy nationwide.

Every year in the U.S., traffic accidents are the leading cause of death in children aged 5 to 14. On average nearly half of those kids are not buckled in a seatbelt or carseat.

You can do something about it: buckle up!

If you use your seatbelt, you are more likely to fasten your child's seatbelt. This gives both parent and child a much better chance of surviving an automobile accident. If you do not buckle up, then both you and your child are at a much greater risk of dying in an accident.

Even if your child is buckled in, remember these points concerning:

• Safety seats. Always read the instructions for proper use of your child's safety seat. A rear-facing seat should be used until a child is at least 1 year old and weighs at least 20 pounds. A forward-facing seat is meant for children over 1 year of age who weigh more than 20 pounds and can usually be used up to age 4 and 40 pounds. A forward-facing booster seat is appropriate for children ages 4 and up who weigh over 40 pounds.

• Children and airbags. In cars equipped with airbags, make sure children age 12 and younger are buckled in the back seat. A front seat airbag deploys with a tremendous force that can kill an infant or child, even if a carseat or seatbelt is used, especially if the front seat is too close to the dashboard.