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The use of safety belts and child safety restraints are the most effective means of reducing serious injury and death in motor vehicle crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that an 80 percent safety restraint use rate can save more than 15,000 lives per year in the United States.

It is the law in Michigan for every driver and front seat passenger to be wearing a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt, and for the driver to have all passengers ages 4 to 16 in a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt. Michigan law requires drivers to have children in a child restraint system until they are 8 years old or 4'9" tall.

You can help provide for the safety of yourself and your passengers.

• Whether a driver or passenger, always wear both a lap and shoulder belt.
• Never place a shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back.
• Lap belts should fit low and tight on the hips, and not across the stomach.
• Use a rear-facing child seat for children who are under 20 pounds or less than 1 year of age.
• Never place a rear-facing child seat in the front seat of a car with passenger side airbags.
• Use a forward-facing child seat for toddlers, until the harness no longer fits.
• For other children under 8 years old or less than 4'9" tall, use a belt positioning booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt.
• Children over 8 years of age or 4'9" tall should us a lap and shoulder belt.
• Always attempt to put children under 12 years of age in the back seat.
• Pregnant women should position the lap belt portion as low on the abdomen as possible, with the shoulder belt routed over the sternum. Leave the air bag operational.

For more information on the use of safety restraint systems, go to the Michigan Safe Kids or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.