Deadly Trend Occurring in South Louisiana: More adults not restraining their children in car seats

The Louisiana State Police are noticing a trend that is disturbing to the officers who work crashes. Over the last few years, more and more children are not restrained in vehicles.

By not being restrained, more and more children are getting injured or dying  in vehicle crashes. A car seat reduces the risk of death for infants by 71 percent and toddlers (aged 1 to 4) by 60 percent. 

On average, 650 children, 12 years old and under die in car crashes a year.

Nearly 7,000 passengers between the ages of 0-14 are injured in motor vehicle crashes each year.

It is the leading cause of death of people between the ages of 13 to 24. 

This past weekend in Lafayette Parish, a 23-year-old mother and her seven-year-old child were killed in a crash.

Kristen Trim of Arnaudville was driving and her vehicle crossed the center line and hit another vehicle head-on.  Trim, who was wearing a seatbelt, was killed. Her seven-year old son was in the backseat and was not wearing a seat belt. He died at the crash.  

According to State Trooper Brooks David, he is noticing more and more children not in seat belts.

“There is no excuse why a parent can not buckle up their children,” said David. 

The law in Louisiana states that  everyone in the vehicle has to wear a seat belt.   Failure to do so will result in tickets and fines, the amount is determined by the La. State Law.

It is the driver’s responsibility to make sure every child under the age of 13 is properly  seat belted in, regardless of the seating position in the vehicle. 

It is the responsibility of every parent and caregiver to ensure that the children under their care are as safe as they can possibly be at all times.  While riding in a motor vehicle, the best way to do this is to ensure the child is properly restrained in a child restraint system or seat belt, David said. 

There are also  laws on the books that specifies how a child has to be restrained in a vehicle, depending on age and weight.

  Birth - 1 year old and less than 20 lbs.: Rear-facing infant or convertible seat.

   1 - 4 years old and from 20 to 40 lbs: Must ride forward facing in a convertible or combination seat with an internal harness as required by Louisiana law.

    4 - 6 years old and from 40 to 60 lbs.: Must ride in a belt-positioning booster seat (backless or high-backed).

At least 6 years old and more than 60 lbs.: Lap-shoulder belt or belt-positioning booster seat. (It is also recommended that the child be at least 4 ft 9 inches tall).

 David submitted these words said by U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. 

 “If some infectious disease came along that affected children in the proportion that injuries do, there would be a huge public outcry and we would be told to spare no expense to find a cure and be quick about it.”