SPRINGFIELD –– Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White reminds parents
and children to wear their safety belts during Buckle Up
America week from May 22nd through the 29th.
"Our children are our future," White said. "Let’s make
sure not only on this Memorial Day week, but everyday, we
show our children how much we care for them by taking the
time to buckle them and ourselves up."
Nationally, traffic crashes are the number one killer
of children ages 5 to 14 and 60 percent of those children
killed are unrestrained. Half of those who are killed in
crashes would be alive today if they had been wearing safety
belts.
On the positive side, more than 90 percent of infants
and children ages one to four ride restrained. Child safety
seats reduced the rate of fatal injury by 69 percent. White
reminds parents to use them properly.
Parents should never place the rear-facing safety seats
in the front passenger seat if the car is equipped with a
passenger airbag that has not been shut off, White said.
Another good piece of advice, put children under age 12
in the back seat, where they are the safest.
For more information on child safety, write the
Secretary of State’s Traffic Safety Division, Attn. Child
Passenger Safety, 2701 S. Dirksen Pkwy. Springfield, IL
62723.
