New Safety Laws
Wear a Seat Belt and use a Child Safety Seat
New occupant restraint laws went into effect in Texas recently that will help provide better safety.
- All occupants, no matter their age or where they are seated in a vehicle, are required to wear a safety belt.
- A motorcycle operator is prohibited from carrying a passenger younger than 5 unless the child is seated in a sidecar attached to the motorcycle.
- Any child younger than 8 years old is required to be restrained in an approved child passenger safety seat, unless that child is at least 4'9" tall.
- A child under the age of 18 is prohibited from riding in the back of an open bed pickup.
For more information, please visit the Texas Department of Public Safety site at www.txdps.state.tx.us or call 512-424-2000.
Every year, more than 90,000 children under age 8 are injured in car crashes, and more than 1,000 are killed. In fact, auto accidents are by far the leading cause of death for American children.
Not installing a Safety Seat Correctly
A safety seat won't do its job if it's not installed correctly. Among the most common mistakes: Not buckling the car seat in tightly enough, and not using the right type of seat belt to secure your child in his booster seat. Check to be sure that car seats won't tip forward or slide from side to side more than an inch, and that boosters are secured with a lap-and-shoulder belt.
Better yet, use an anchoring system if you can. By law, all car seats and vehicles manufactured since September 2002 must be compatible with the LATCH system - or "lower anchors and tethers for children."
This system combines the previously existing top tethers with lower anchors, built into the rear of the car. Some cars built between 1999 and 2002 also have the system. Toddler/booster combo seats are required to have both the upper and lower attachments; booster seats are not required to work with LATCH.
Owners of earlier model cars may want to consider having their car retrofitted with the LATCH system. Check with your local auto dealership for information on cost and feasibility.
You can also have your seat installation checked by a professional. Call 817-685-1686.
