No debate here, safety first always

As a mom of two, age 8 and 4 I can tell you the struggle is real to get them to do pretty much anything I ask of them. Anyone listening in would think we are having a grand debate on what one should wear to the Oscars just to get ready for school in the morning.

As a parent, of course I can sometimes let my kids have their way. However there is one thing that will never be open to negotiation and that is their safety. Despite the tantrums I will receive from my daughter on wearing her seat belt, I always apologize to my son or whoever else in the car and say better she cries now than I cry later. I then buckle the screaming sometimes kicking toddler and then buckle myself and start the car, (my son buckles on his own without any concerns).

Did you know that one child passenger age 8 – 14 is injured every 8 minutes in a car crash? From 2009 – 2013, 1,522 kids ages 8-14 died in car, SUV and van crashes. Of those who died, almost half were unbelted. Sadly as a family we have been impacted by the loss of a unbuckled teen loved one in a car crash.

As our children get older they’re sometimes less likely to buckle up. Which is why buckling up is an important habit to instill in children at a young age. As parents we should lead by example by wearing a seat belt ourselves and by insisting on seat belt use for every passenger in our vehicle. Seat belts and safety seats, if used correctly, dramatically reduce the risk of fatality or injury to children. The percentage of child passengers who die while riding unrestrained generally increases with age and is most pronounced among 13 and 14-year-olds regardless of seating position.