Hey guys, I don't usually post things way outside of the scope of riding motorcycles, but I thought this was important to share.
I work as a part-time police officer on an every other weekend basis up in Kansas. After working several years on the road full-time and now part-time, I worked my first fatality accident involving a child this past Saturday. I've always been a big supporter of buckling up your kids, especially now that I have a 14 month old son to think about. Before I had my son, whenever I would stop someone with kids in adult seat belts, I would just say to myself, "At least they are buckled in, its more than I can say for most." Even though I knew they were required to be in booster seats, I assumed something was better than nothing.
On Saturday I saw what a regular seat belt will do for a 5 year old in a rollover accident, absolutely nothing. There is little doubt in my mind that if he was buckled up in a booster seat (as required by law for his weight and height) he would have survived the accident. It's not a requirement to put them in the middle seat in the back, but that is the safest place for them to be. I have to turn my son sideways just to get him in the middle of the backseat in his rear-facing car seat in my Toyota Corolla, but its worth the peace of mind.
I'm telling you this because I know that most of you have kids or grandchildren at this point in life. Please don't just use a regular seat belt for a child that needs to be in a car seat or a booster seat. The adult in the car that was related to this 5 year old boy now has to live with the fact that his actions were a direct cause of this loss of life. Ride safe everyone.
I work as a part-time police officer on an every other weekend basis up in Kansas. After working several years on the road full-time and now part-time, I worked my first fatality accident involving a child this past Saturday. I've always been a big supporter of buckling up your kids, especially now that I have a 14 month old son to think about. Before I had my son, whenever I would stop someone with kids in adult seat belts, I would just say to myself, "At least they are buckled in, its more than I can say for most." Even though I knew they were required to be in booster seats, I assumed something was better than nothing.
On Saturday I saw what a regular seat belt will do for a 5 year old in a rollover accident, absolutely nothing. There is little doubt in my mind that if he was buckled up in a booster seat (as required by law for his weight and height) he would have survived the accident. It's not a requirement to put them in the middle seat in the back, but that is the safest place for them to be. I have to turn my son sideways just to get him in the middle of the backseat in his rear-facing car seat in my Toyota Corolla, but its worth the peace of mind.
I'm telling you this because I know that most of you have kids or grandchildren at this point in life. Please don't just use a regular seat belt for a child that needs to be in a car seat or a booster seat. The adult in the car that was related to this 5 year old boy now has to live with the fact that his actions were a direct cause of this loss of life. Ride safe everyone.