Tierney Cash

Dec. 7, 2023
Final Exam: Part Two
 News Release
Safe Kids Oklahoma
6800 N.W. 39th Expressway, Bethany, OK – www.safekids.org

For Immediate Release Tierney Cash

Dec. 14, 2023 Media Contact
405-470-2304
tierney.cash@gmail.com

Buckle Up, Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. – With Memorial Day approaching, Safe Kids Oklahoma wants to inform the
public about car safety for children when traveling.
Preventable injuries, like those caused by car accidents, are the leading threat to
children in the U.S. Every year, the lives of approximately 8,000 families change following a
child’s death—a preventable death, to be exact.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. Tom Trooper said the hardest thing he has ever had to
do at a car wreck site is find a baby.
“I’ve seen rollover accidents where a baby went through a windshield and the car
rolled over them. If that baby had been buckled up, he would have been in his car seat and
probably would have had a few cuts and bruises,” Trooper said.
Trooper also mentioned the importance of parents and guardians wearing seat belts.
If a car crash occurs and a passenger is unbuckled, they can become a missile in the car. Flying
through the windshield or breaking another passenger’s neck are just a couple of examples of
what may happen to someone not secured by a seatbelt.
According to coalition coordinator Kim Gray, most child deaths and injuries caused
by car accidents can be prevented by wearing seat belts correctly and using booster seats.
“Without a booster seat, the shoulder portion crosses the child’s neck, and the lap
portion crosses the abdomen – both dangerous situations,” she said. “A child is not big enough
for a seat belt alone until the shoulder belt comes across the chest and the lap portion rides across
the hips and thighs.”
Gray recommends telling all passengers to buckle before putting the car in drive to
ensure everyone’s safety before hitting the road.
-more-
Safe Kids, page 2
For parents interested in learning proper safety for booster seats, Safe Kids
Oklahoma provides educational workshops. The organization’s website also offers safety tips for
traveling, and parents can bring their car seats to Safe Kids inspection stations to be
professionally checked.
Safe Kids Oklahoma provides support and other resources to achieve the goal of
keeping kids safe. Based on the needs of the community, the coalition implements evidence-
based programs, such as car-seat checkups, safety workshops and sports clinics to help parents
and caregivers prevent childhood injuries. Visit safekids.org for more information.
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