[cocotbo]

There was a time when I would forget to fasten my seat belt on occasion. Then, in 2000, my husband and I were on the highway beginning a two-day trip back to Montana from a visit in Minnesota. We hit black ice, spun, slid, our tires finally caught and we rolled over and off the highway. Had we not been wearing our seat belts, we would have both been thrown from the vehicle and God only knows if we might have survived that. We were lucky and escaped with a few minor bumps and scratches.

I am absolutely pro-seat belts, but I know there are people out there, even parents, who really don't give it any thought. What are your thoughts?

[mcmama]

I tend to be careless about seatbelts if I am in and out of the car. But my kids always buckle up. They learned long ago that the go magic in the car will not start if they are not buckled!

[cocotbo]

Originally Posted by mcmama

I tend to be careless about seatbelts if I am in and out of the car. But my kids always buckle up. They learned long ago that the go magic in the car will not start if they are not buckled!

I can certainly understand that, but I'd like to share a story with you:
There was a fellow here in Montana who was out on a drive with his 7-year-old grandson. The grandson was wearing his seatbelt, but the grandfather was not. They got into an accident and the grandfather was thrown - on top of his grandson who was safely buckled in.

The little boy was killed from the impact of his grandfather on him, but the grandfather survived and now has to live with the fact that he killed his own grandson.

Please buckle up.

[Duncan]

I've spent the last 15 plus years promoting child safety. It all began when I was a member of a inclass program called Feeling Yes Feeling No. The program was intended to teach children the difference between good touches and bad touches, and offered them a few skills that would help them stay safe when it came to dangerous strangers and others whose intention was to cause them harm. Since that time I have put together a collection of stay safe songs, one of which deals with seat belt safety. Please enjoy and share with your children...speakers on.
Buckle Up
http://www.duncanwells.ca/lyrics/buckle_up.htm

[QueenAngie]

The boys and I always buckle up. We got into the habit when DS#1 came home from the hospital as a newborn.

DH sometimes does and sometimes doesn't. If a policecar is nearby, he will buckle up.

[floridamama]

We always buckle up! In my younger days, I was kinda careless about it, but now as a mommy, I set the example...and they all buckle up!

[mommysqueek]

As a teenager I never used to wear my seatbelt. But now my whole family always buckles up. The kids know the car does not move if they don't have them on. Lucky for me they don't argue. My dd is 6 yrs old and she is still in a booster. I will keep her in it as long as I can!

[pattiewrites]

My kids are always buckled in their seats. I am usually wearing my seat belt too. There are times when I am rushing and forget to buckle my seat belt. The girls are quick to remind me to buckle up, usually before we even get out of our neighborhood. Mcmama, my kids also think the car won't go if they aren't buckled! It works really well when they are young.

[Duncan]

Children reminding an adult driver to put on their seat belt proves that safety education pays off. My experience is that it's usually the adult, not the children, who neglect the simple grab, pull and click procedure of staying safe while driving in the car. I always ask the children for a show of hands on "How many came here in a car today? A van? A truck?" Followed by: "How many of you were wearing a seat belt?" All hands usually go up. Then I ask the adults how many of THEM were wearing a seat belt while driving to the show. All hands don't usually rise and so I use this opportunity to ask the children in the audience to help me show the adults how to use a seatbelt properly. The children seem to get a kick out of it. We all go through the actions of the three step procedure to grab, pull and click just so, the next time, the adults will know how to buckle up.
In the right situation, children can be educators too. ( - :

[mollymae]

We always always always use seatbeats. 3 of the kids were involved in a head on smash during a contact visit with there dad and if they hadn't of been strapped they would have been killed. Jack as it was suffered a brain injury due to his head getting whipped forward then back. Luckily he's made a good recovery.

A new law has come into force in the last week here in the UK if the child is under 4' 5" they HAVE to travel in a suitable child car seat.

Do you have a similar law in the states?