Vehicle Donation and Child Safety Seats

Those who are actively shopping for a new car often do not put too much thought into alternative options to simply trading their car in to an auto dealership as a matter of simplicity. It is possible that donating your car to a charity may actually deliver you a more financially beneficial solution by allowing for a significant tax deduction for the fair market value of the vehicle; all while knowing that your old car is contributing to the betterment of the community. One great option for vehicle donation is discussed in detail at donate a vehicle Green Bay by Rawhide, a local charitable organization that assists troubled youth in Wisconsin.

Child safety seats are either not being used, or are being installed and used in an improper manner in far too many instances in the US. Recently, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released some statistical data supporting their recent findings including:

• In 1999, over 50% of passengers between 4 and 8 years of age that were killed in auto crashes were determined to not be properly fastened into a child safety seat unit. This is in addition to the many that were injured in such crashes that did not involve a fatality.
• The NHTSA says that education on child car travel safety needs to extend beyond just parents to include and reach numerous caregivers, law enforcement officers, medical providers, and teachers. Additionally, the education must be communicated in a host of languages for non-native speakers.
• Children should not rely on an adult seat belt as the sole restraint until large enough to firmly place their back against the back of the seat with their knees able to be bent over the seat cushion beneath.

What are the challenges in child safety seat usage and enforcement?

• There is often a strong desire of young children to acclimate to “being a grown up” through resistance toward usage of the restraint unit, seat and/or belt. When some parents or caregivers do not adequately enforce child safety seat safety, it leads to heightened levels of child resistance, who are quite observant.
• There seems to be an educational “disconnect” as it relates to the laws regarding protecting older children, particularly in the age ranges from 8 to 12 years, with proper usage of booster seats and safety belts.
• Emphasizing to law enforcement the importance of actively monitoring and recognizing violations. When an officer observes a child restraint violation, they should take appropriate action according to the law. Additionally, officers should emphasize the importance of having children positioned in the back seat of the vehicle, which has proven in numerous studies to significantly reduce injuries and fatalities resulting from vehicle collisions.