Participants of “Prime Time,” a camp held this week at the Texas 4-H Center at Lake Brownwood, got a lesson in seat belt safety from Texas Department of Transportation officials on Thursday.
TxDOT Traffic Safety Specialist Jeanni Luckey, along with Gina Torres of Kid Safe, educated the group of 131 kids, 2nd through 5th grade. They told the campers about the dangers of not being buckled up, but also the danger in playing hide and seek behind vehicles, running in parking lots, especially when school starts and about riding in the back of pickups, because most of these kids at the camp live in rural towns and in the country.One way TxDOT educates on the importance of buckling up is through their rollover simulator, pictured above (at a previous event). The simulator shows how if not buckled, a person can be ejected from a vehicle and killed or severely injured. Jeanni Luckey further explained how important it is for everyone in a vehicle to be buckled properly.
“By not being buckled up, you can become a flying object. For example if someone in the car is not buckled up and you are, you are not safe,” said Luckey. “The person not buckled up could injure or kill you. So if you get into a car with someone, take a stand and tell them not to start the car until they have buckled up!”
TxDOT outlines that safety belts are most effective when used properly.
- Lap belts should fit snugly across the hips, not over the stomach.
- Shoulder belts go over the shoulder and across the center of the chest.
- Never tuck a shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back.
Texas law now requires drivers and all passengers in vehicles to be secured by a safety belt. A safety belt violation can result in fines ranging from $25 to $50, plus court costs.
Any child under the age of 8 must be restrained in an approved child passenger safety seat unless taller than 4 feet, nine inches. The fine is up to $25 for a first offense and $250 for a second subsequent offense.
Pictured below are campers at “Prime Time” as they were presented information about seat belt safety. Photo contributed.
