It's up to all of us to protect children and to promote zero tolerance for unbuckled children. Today, one out of four children ride unrestrained or 15 million children nationwide ride without a seatbelt. Traffic accidents are the number one killer of children, with six out of ten children who die being unbuckled. According to a recent survey, parents who don't buckle up admit that it takes strong laws and fines to get them to restrain their child passengers. The National Safety Council hopes that letters reminding drivers that they can be ticketed and fined for the offense could prevent a potential tragedy.
Officers plan to intensify enforcement of child passenger safety laws.
Officers will also be stepping up enforcement of adult seat belt laws because it's a proven fact that most adults who don't buckle up themselves, don't buckle up kids. Research has found that buckled drivers are three times more likely to restrain child passengers than drivers who don't buckle up. The National Safety Council's Citizen Action Response Hotline is patterned after existing programs in more than a dozen states and localities. The Mobilization is part of Buckle Up America, an ongoing national initiative to increase belt use and save lives. As Wisconsin's chapter of the National Safety Council, the WCS promotes safety and health programs, resource services, and educational materials for community outreach.