Ten-Minute Safety Check Could Save Young Lives

    LOS ANGELES--Feb. 5, 2001--Traffic collisions are the leading cause of death for children ages 12 and younger.
    And while child safety seats have dramatically reduced fatalities, more lives could be saved if every child were buckled up properly.
    Unfortunately, many parents still allow their children to ride in the front seat or without proper safety restraints, unintentionally endangering their children.
    National Child Passenger Safety Week is Feb. 11-17, and the Insurance Information Network of California encourages parents to take 10 minutes to assess their child's safety in the family car.
    "An evaluation that can take as little as 10 minutes can dramatically reduce children's risk of injury or death in a crash," said Candysse Miller, executive director of the Insurance Information Network of California. "Simple steps like moving a child from the front to the back of the car reduces the risk of fatal injury by more than a third."
    While newer cars carry improved safety features that have reduced automotive injuries and fatalities, many of these features require special precautions when little ones are aboard. IINC offers the following tips to maximize children's safety:

--  Airbags -- Airbags have saved thousands of lives, but the force
    of airbag inflation can injure children. Children under age 12
    should always be buckled up in the back seat. Some cars also now
    come equipped with side airbags that cushion backseat passengers
    against the force of a collision. Before purchasing a car with
    backseat side airbags, parents should consult the manufacturer to
    determine whether the airbag design is child-safe.

--  Child Safety Seats -- While all 50 states have child restraint
    laws on the books, almost 40 percent of children still ride
    unrestrained. Babies under 20 pounds must sit in a rear-facing
    safety seat, while children weighing 20-40 pounds should ride
    in a forward-facing car seat. Parents should follow the
    manufacturer's car seat installation instructions and have it
    checked by a professional. Contact your local police department
    about getting a car seat check-up.

--  Seat Belts -- Children who are too big for car seats are usually
    too small for seat belts. Next year, California will require that
    children up to 6 years and 60 pounds be placed in booster
    seats. These allow seat belts to fit properly across children's
    hips and chests. Children should use booster seats until they can
    sit with their knees bent at the edge of the seat and their backs
    comfortably against the seat back. A seat belt fits properly when
    the lap belt crosses the hips, not the stomach, and the shoulder
    belt crosses the chest, not the face or neck.

    Many Web sites contain excellent auto safety information. Consumers can learn more at www.iinc.org, www.iihs.org and www.nhtsa.gov.
    IINC is a nonprofit, non-lobbying media relations organization supported by the property/casualty insurance industry and has spokespeople available to discuss this and other safety and insurance issues.
    To schedule an interview, call media relations at 213/738-5333 in Southern California and 925/969-2223 in Northern California.

    Note to editors: IINC has b-roll in English and Spanish outlining the proper procedures for buckling up young children.