Safe Kids Tulsa, Law Enforcement Remind Parents Of Importance Of Car Seat Safety

Safe Kids Tulsa and several law enforcement agencies are reminding parents how dangerous it can be for their child to not be in the proper car seat.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says it's not always about ticketing people but educating them on how to buckle up their kids properly.

From age 1 to age 17, 31 backpacks represent a child who died in Oklahoma in 2021 because they weren't properly buckled up.

“For every fatality, there are hundreds more that are injured in a crash, so the importance of riding safely every single car ride we can't stress enough,” said Jenny Rollins with Safe Kids Tulsa.

It's law in the state for children to be rear-facing in a car seat until they are at least two years old or outgrow the weight and height limit of the seat. Then, they need to move to a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they are 4 or outgrow that car seat. Once they do that, kids need to be in a booster until 8 years old or taller than 4 feet 9 inches.

Rollins says even if your child is a teenager, they need to be buckled up in the car.

“So, that if you are in a crash they have every chance to survive, and walk away without being harmed,” she said.

Lt. Chris Arnall with Oklahoma Highway Patrol has been on patrol since 1997 and says his first fatality wreck involved a five-year-old child who died.

He says that's one of the reasons child safety in cars is so important to him.

“That made an effect on my life right off the bat in my career, and here I am 27 years later, and my heart is still there to make sure children are safe,” he said.

He says the state is seeing too many children die because they aren't buckled up properly or even at all, and parents shouldn't rush to the next stage until the child is ready.

“A parent tries to get their child to think oh you're a big boy, you are a big girl, so I'm going to let you go up a little too quick in the next car seat, or booster seat or even a seat belt, they do it too quick too early,” Arnall said.

Child Passenger Safety Week is next week. For events and resources, click here.