Texas Border Business
AUSTIN – A car seat can be a lifesaver, but only if it’s installed and used correctly.
Whether you’re going to school or taking a family trip, knowing how to properly install a car seat is absolutely vital. To help spread the word about the importance of car seat safety, TxDOT is partnering with former NASA rocket scientist Shayla Rivera to launch the Save Me With a Seat campaign during National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 15-21.
“It’s extremely important that parents schedule a car seat check today,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. “Ensuring car seats are installed correctly is one of the most important things a parent or caregiver can do to protect their children in a crash.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half (46%) of all car seats have been installed incorrectly. TxDOT invites parents to schedule a free car seat safety check by visiting SaveMeWithASeat.org and entering their ZIP code to find the nearest TxDOT traffic safety specialist in their area. TxDOT offers free car seat safety checks year-round.
During September, the Save Me With a Seat campaign will make stops in eight Texas cities and showcase the Are You Ready for Takeoff? interactive educational experience. Parents, caregiversand their kids will get a chance to learn how to properly buckle up and be secure in their carseats before a simulated journey into space. The campaign also features retired NASA rocket scientist Shayla Rivera. A native of Puerto Rico and a mother herself, Rivera focuses on the importance of keeping kids safe and secure in their car seats.
Texas law requires all children under the age of 8 or shorter than 4 feet, 9 inches, to be in a car seat when riding in a passenger vehicle. Failure to properly restrain a child can result in a ticket of up to $250. In 2023, 47 children younger than 8 years old were killed in Texas traffic crashes, and 320 were seriously injured.
Save Me With a Seat is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel, like wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit, never texting and driving or driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. #EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths.
LOCAL STATS FOR CHILDREN WHO DIED IN CRASHES AND WERE NOT WEARING SEATBELTS:
In 2023, there were 11 passenger vehicle crashes in the Pharr District that resulted in 12 serious injuries and 1 fatality for children (who were inside the vehicle) younger than 8 years old.
In 2023, there were 19 passenger vehicle crashes in the Pharr District that resulted in 23 serious injuries and 1 fatality for children (who were inside the vehicle) ages 8-12.
Where will Save Me With a Seat travel to in Texas?
- The branded interactive educational experience will visit eight Texas communities. The cities were selected based on unrestrained usage, fatalities, and serious injuries. Below are the cities we are visiting September 15-30, 2024.
- San Antonio
- Portland
- Mercedes
- Georgetown
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Lufkin
- Beaumont
- The awareness effort is supported by TV and radio ads, billboards, digital ads and social media.
- The stops will also feature a new interactive car seat experience where children will buckle up and create a fun keepsake memento to take home.
What’s the penalty if a child is not buckled up?
- State law requires children younger than 8 to ride in a child car seat, unless taller than 4 feet 9 inches. Older children who have outgrown a booster seat must be buckled with a seat belt. Breaking the law is not only dangerous for your child, but it can also result in a fine of up to $250.
