Seatbelt

For too long, global road safety has not received the priority it deserves, especially when it comes to the needs of children. Not only are children at high risk in vehicles, on bicycles, and in some countries on motorcycles, they are vulnerable as pedestrians and are often injured or killed in the simple act of walking to school.

Our new study helps answer some of the questions parents have about when to switch from a booster seat to just a seat belt. We surveyed 1,000 parents of children ages 4 to 10 and found that an alarming number of parents are allowing kids to use a seat belt alone before they are big enough. In fact, 7 in 10 parents do not know that a child should be at least 57 inches (4’9”) to ride in a car without a booster seat.

Yesterday began, as it does for so many of us college students, with a cup of coffee and a click of the seatbelt. But after a typical work day, things took a pretty abrupt turn when I got into a car crash on my way home.

"I lost my best friend because we didn't buckle up."

No one starts their day anticipating getting into a car crash. But teens like Presley teach us that it only takes one time riding in a car without bucking up for a life to be changed forever.