Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children ages 2 - 14.  But children ages 4 - 8 who use booster seats and safety belts are 59 percent less likely to be injured in a car crash than children who are restrained only by a safety belt.

“My baby cries when I put her in her car seat. She’s much happier if I hold her on my lap.”

“My four-year-old is big for his age. A seat belt fits him just fine.”

“I like for my infant to be close to me when I’m driving in case he needs me, so I let him ride up front with me.”

Riding unrestrained is the greatest risk factor to children in a motor vehicle - making them twice as likely to die or be severely injured in a crash. Improperly restrained children also are far more likely to be injured, to suffer more severe injuries, and to die in the event of a crash. Today, 95 percent of infants and 91 percent of toddlers age one to four are restrained in safety seats. However, the bad news is that 85 percent of those children are improperly restrained. The misusage rate in South Carolina is even more alarming: more than 95 percent of children are improperly restrained. The single most important thing you can do to protect your children is to buckle them up properly, every trip, every time.


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