Since the 1970s, safety standards for passenger vehicles in the United States have improved substantially. Improvements to injury prevention systems in vehicles and the technology used therein have also increased over the last forty years. But of all the technological and design advancements implemented into America’s automobiles, none has been able to replace the seat belt as the most effective means of preventing deaths and injuries caused by automobiles accidents. More people between the ages of 5 and 34 are killed in car crashes than by any other cause and children under the age of 14 bear the brunt of this sobering statistic.
Five children were killed on average every day in car crashes in 2005 with more than 600 additional kids sustaining serious injuries. It was determined that the primary reason for these unfortunate numbers was the improper use of seat belts, child restraints, and booster seats. Surprisingly, nearly 100 percent of all infants and more than 90 percent of small children are actually buckled up in some form or fashion but they injuries and fatalities occur because their seat belts and other restraint systems are not properly fastened. The importance of seat belts and safety restraints for children and adults, therefore, cannot be overstated.
