|
 Safety belts
save lives. If you’re in the front seat during a crash,
wearing a safety belt improves your chance of survival
by 50 percent. Wearing lap and shoulder belts (combined
with air bags) is the most effective way to reduce
fatalities and serious injuries in traffic
collisions.
Buckle Up
Safety belts are most effective when used
properly.
- Lap belts should fit snugly across the hips, not
over the stomach.
- Shoulder belts go over the shoulder and across the
center of the chest.
- Never tuck a shoulder belt under your arm or
behind your back.
Here’s the Law
Texas law requires drivers and front seat passengers
in all vehicles to be secured by a safety belt. Children
under 17 years old must be secured with a safety belt or
in a child safety seat, whether they are sitting in the
front or back seat. A child under 5 years old and less
than 36 inches tall must ride in a child safety seat. A
safety belt violation can result in fines ranging from
$25 to $200, plus court costs.
Safety Seat Guidelines
Safety belts are designed for adults, not children.
Use a booster seat to lift your child up and prevent
severe injuries in a crash. Please remember the
following guidelines when buying the proper seat for
your child.
- Birth–1 Year, Up to 35 Pounds
- Use a rear-facing seat until your baby reaches
the weight limit or height limit of the seat.
- Secure the chest clip even with your baby’s
armpits.
- Fasten harness straps snugly against your baby’s
body.
- 1–4 Years, 20 to 40 Pounds
- Use a forward-facing seat for as long as the
safety seat manufacturer recommends it.
- Fasten harness straps snugly against your
child’s body.
- Secure the chest clip even with your child’s
armpits.
- Latch the tether strap to the corresponding
anchor if your vehicle has one.
- 4–8 Years, Over 40 Pounds
- Use a booster seat.
- Fasten the lap belt across your child’s thighs
and hips, not stomach.
- Strap the diagonal belt across the chest to rest
on the shoulder, not the neck.
For information about child safety seats, call Safe Riders at (800) 252-8255. |
