| It's not that Melissa dismissed the notion of | | | | not intended to be a substitute for them. |
| fastening her seat belt. The thought just never | | | | According to the Insurance Institute for Highway |
| entered her mind. She and her friends were eager | | | | Safety, the overall fatality-reducing effectiveness |
| to begin their picnic in the country, and there was | | | | for air bags is about 14 percent over and above |
| more hurry than caution to her actions. At some | | | | the benefits from using safety belts. In vehicles |
| point Melissa lost control of her car, and it rolled | | | | with air bags: |
| over several times. | | | | * All passengers should wear safety belts. |
| The vibrant young high school cheerleader was | | | | * Place rear-facing child safety seats in the back |
| thrown from the automobile and left paralyzed | | | | seat of vehicles with passenger-side air bags. A |
| from the waist down. She knows she would have | | | | deploying air bag can cause serious and fatal head |
| avoided her tragedy with a simple, three-second | | | | injuries to a child. |
| procedure. And that's hardly a cheerful thought. | | | | * Keep your hands away from the steering wheel |
| Based on National Safety Council statistics, lifetime | | | | hub that contains the air bag. An inflating air bag |
| odds are 1-in-2 that you will suffer a temporary | | | | could break a hand or fingers. |
| or permanent disabling injury in a traffic crash, and | | | | * If you have a passenger side air bag, kids under |
| about 1-in-100 that you will be killed. Surprisingly, | | | | age 13, or 5-feet-3 inches, should ride in the back |
| the majority of crashes causing injury or death | | | | seat. |
| occur within 25 miles of home at speeds under | | | | * Sit as far back from the steering wheel as is |
| 40 mph. | | | | comfortably possible. You should sit at least 10 |
| Superior engineering is making automobiles safer, | | | | inches away from the wheel. |
| but the ultimate responsibility for safety rests | | | | * If you are short, try tilting the steering wheel |
| with the people behind the wheel. | | | | down and raising the seat to achieve 10 inches |
| Safety Belts Are Mandatory | | | | and still drive comfortably. If this doesn't work, |
| * According to the National Safety Council, | | | | pedal extenders should be considered. The further |
| passenger car and light truck occupants who | | | | away you are, the more efficiently the bag will |
| wear safety belts cut the risk of serious or fatal | | | | work. |
| injury in collisions between 45 and 65 percent. | | | | Pregnant Women, Children And Pets |
| * Ejection from a vehicle is one of the most | | | | * Pregnant women should position the lap belt as |
| injurious events that can happen to a person in a | | | | low as they can under the abdominal bulge and let |
| crash. In fact, you are 25 times more likely to die | | | | the shoulder strap rest across their chest. |
| when you are thrown from your vehicle. The | | | | Wearing both belts will protect both the mother |
| safest place in a crash is inside your car. Buckle | | | | and the fetus. In cold weather, unbutton outer |
| up! | | | | clothing so the belt won't creep up. |
| * If buckled in, you won't be: | | | | * Do not hold a child on your lap in a moving |
| -flung through the windshield, | | | | automobile. In a crash, it could be crushed |
| -pitched into traffic, or against a telephone post or | | | | between the occupant and dashboard or |
| tree, | | | | windshield, or hit by a deploying air bag. The only |
| -thrown across rough, lacerating surfaces, or | | | | safe place for a child is in an approved safety |
| -crushed by your own vehicle. | | | | seat. |
| * For everyone's protection, back-seat | | | | * To be sure the safety seat is correctly installed, |
| passengers should be buckled in. That way they | | | | go to a local organization that offers to check |
| won't become dangerous projectiles in the | | | | safety seat installation. |
| automobile cabin in the event of a crash. | | | | * Whenever possible, children should ride in the |
| Oh, and for the skeptics in the crowd, please | | | | center of the back seat, properly restrained. |
| note: drowning or incineration accounts for less | | | | * If a child must ride in the front seat, make sure |
| than one-tenth of 1 percent of deaths in | | | | the seat is all the way back, the child stays |
| automobile crashes. And it's easier to escape if | | | | belted, and sits back in the seat. |
| you're conscious. | | | | * When you drive with your pet, use a pet |
| In Vehicles With Air Bags | | | | safety belt. |
| Air bags are a supplement to safety belts and are | | | | |