In 1996 in Georgia, 32 children under age 5 died in auto accidents. Of those, only
12 were in properly installed child restraints. A University
of Georgia specialist said car safety seats are the best way to protect children
riding in any vehicle.
"Using seat belts and child restraints increases your chances of surviving an
accident by almost 60 percent," said Randall
Townley, extension occupant safety coordinator with the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Townley said the second week of February is National Child Passenger Safety Awareness
Week. But he points out it’s always important to put children in car seats and seat belts.
Gordy Wright, director of information for the Georgia
Department of Public Safety, said Georgia child fatality statistics are about equal
with those nationwide. About 70 percent of all children are placed in car seats. Only
about 20 percent of those, however, are correctly used.
The most common problem Wright sees is a loose safety seat. The safety seat must be
buckled into the vehicle tightly enough to protect the child.
"So many people assume they install the seat correctly," Wright said.
"But anyone using a child safety seat needs to carefully read and follow the
installation instructions that come with the seat and the vehicle’s owners’ manual. And
check the installation each time the seat is used."
The UGA Occupant Safety Program is working with the Georgia State Patrol in
"Operation Strap ‘n’ Snap." Parents can go to their local Georgia State Patrol post,
where a trained person can check their car safety seats. Parents can learn if they’ve
installed the seat correctly or how to make the corrections that can save their child’s
life.
Call your local GSP post for more information.
Townley and his staff work to show everyone in the state how important it is to
properly restrain children riding in vehicles.
"Children in properly installed safety seats have a 69 percent survival rate in
accidents," he said. "And that rate increases by 29 percent if the child is in
the safety seat in the back seat of the car."
Georgia law requires children under three to be in an approved car seat. Children older
than three and under 18 must be buckled into the seat belts installed in the vehicle.
As of July 1996, Townley said, police officers can stop a vehicle with no other
violations and issue a ticket to the driver for not using proper restraints.
Wright said seat belts are something like auto insurance.
"You certainly don’t get into your car thinking, ‘I’ll put on my seat belt this
trip since I’ll be in an accident today,’" he said. "Seat belts and child safety
seats are your best chance of surviving an accident."
