According to NHTSA recommendations, all children twelve and under are required by law to be properly restrained at all times in any vehicle, whether in the front or back seat.  Furthermore, everyone in the vehicle should always buckle up.  According to NHTSA, more than half of all motor vehicle occupants under the age of 15 in fatal crashes were not properly restrained.  Through education, the goal of P.O.S.S.E. is to help parents use restraints in the best possible way.

For optimal safety for children, parents should always thoroughly read the instructions for the seat and check the vehicle's owner's manual on how to install a seat correctly.  Parents should also check the manufacturer's specifications for the seat to make sure that the seat is appropriate for the child's size.  Even when children outgrow the need for a standard safety seat, they still need a booster seat until old enough to be secured with only a seatbelt.  If the vehicle's seatbelt does not fit the child in the shoulder and waist areas, the child could be severely injured in a crash.  When children no longer need traditional child seats, they must sit in a booster seat until a vehicle seatbelts fit without causing injury.  Booster seats are essential for children who weight between 40 and 80 pounds. 

* NEW CHILD RESTRAINT LAW *

Please be aware that a new law for child restraints took effect on January 1, 2004, requiring children to be placed in the proper safety restraints for their age and weight:

• 1 year or younger, any weight: rear-facing child safety seat in the back seat
• Over 1 year and up to 40 pounds: front-facing child safety seat in the back seat
• 40 to 60 pounds: child booster seat secured with lap/shoulder belt in the back seat

Even when children outgrow the need for a safety seat, they still need a booster seat until they are old enough to be properly restrained by only a seatbelt.  Seatbelts are not designed for younger children and do not fit them properly in the shoulder and hip areas.  Until a vehicle's seatbelt fits without causing injury, booster seats are essential for children who weigh at least 40 pounds.  All booster seats must be used with a lap/shoulder strap.  The new law is a basic minimum requirement and still may not adequately protect a child over 60 pounds in a crash.  For more information, please visit NHTSA's website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps.

Occupant Protection and Traffic Education and Enforcement

The P.O.S.S.E. program also provides presentations to schools and community groups about a variety of traffic safety issues.  For example, fatal vision goggles are used to simulate intoxication during DWI presentations.  The Kenner Police Department is very aggressive in DWI enforcement and reduction, and is one of the founding members of the Southeast Louisiana DWI Task Force.

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