Press Release

Safe Kids Coalition says Focus on Air Bags is Misplaced

09/19/96

Safe Kids Coalition Urges Focus on Proper Child Restraint, Not
Air Bags


ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 17 -- As federal safety agencies
discuss issues related to air bags and young children, a statewide
child safety group is urging parents and caregivers to keep the focus
on properly restraining children in vehicles.

"Safety belts are designed for the adult body," said Sue James,
Director of the Minnesota SAFE KIDS Coalition, a program of the
Minnesota Safety Council. "Whether a vehicle has air bags or not, if
the lap and shoulder belts don't fit a child comfortably, parents must
use a child car seat or booster seat."

James pointed out that, overwhelmingly, the children who have been
killed when an air bag opened during a crash were not restrained. The
basic issue, she said, is whether parents are using child car seats,
booster seats and safety belts properly.

"Most parents understand the importance of child car seats," said
James, "but many of them are unaware that most children can't graduate
directly from a car sear into a safety belt. There are other options
parents can choose that will provide the maximum level of protection
for their child."

The Minnesota Safety Council and the Minnesota SAFE KIDS Coalition
recommend the following simple steps to keep children safe:

-- Children must ride in a car seat until they reach age four or weigh
forty pounds.

-- Children should ride in a booster seat until they reach at least
age six or sixty pounds.

-- If possible, children of any age should ride in the back seat.

-- If the back seat is not an option, children riding in the front
seat of a vehicle with a passenger side air bag should be properly
restrained, and the seat should be moved back as far as possible from
the dashboard.

-- And remember: NEVER put a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of
a vehicle that has a passenger side air bag.

"The bottom line is that parents should not be afraid of air bags,"
said James, "but they should be concerned about whether they're using
the right restraint for the size of their child."

The Minnesota SAFE KIDS Coalition, a part of the National SAFE KIDS
Campaign, is a statewide network of over 140 health, education and
safety professionals and organizations, dedicated to preventing
childhood injury -- the number one killer of children ages 14 and
under. The Minnesota Safety Council, founded in 1928, is a
non-governmental, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving
the quality of life in Minnesota by preventing unintentional injuries
and deaths.