Buckle-up children

A tragic crash happened Saturday on Route 115 near the village of Effort in Monroe County. A woman and four children were killed.

The woman, Destini Watson, 23, of Blakeslee, was the driver of the SUV in which the four children were passengers. Watson was wearing a seat belt. So was another adult passenger, who survived.

State police said none of the children were wearing seat belts or child restraints.

We can't say if the children would have survived had they been restrained. But they likely would have had a better chance.

That's why the law in Pennsylvania states:

• Children under the age of 4 must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle.

• Children from age 4 up to age 8 must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat.

• Children from age 8 up to age 18 must be in a seat belt.

Too many adults take shortcuts. They don't want to hear whining. They think they are good drivers so it doesn't matter if the kids in the car are not restrained.

It happens more frequently than you know. People pick children up at school bus stops and think since they're only driving home a few blocks, nothing will happen. They go to the grocery store and completely ignore the beep from an open seat belt.

The state police go above and beyond helping parents realize the important of restraints. They regularly host car seat checks, instructing parents how to properly install and maintain these safety devices.

It's understandable that children are sometimes restless and push to see what they can get away with.

As a parent or adult driver, it is your responsibility to control all passengers in your vehicle. This means making sure all children are buckled in their seats.

Also, you can be fined if you are pulled over and children in your vehicle aren't properly restrained.

If you have an accident, and unrestrained children are injured or killed, the driver can be held criminally responsible.

There's another downside of letting your children be unrestrained. Did you know your passenger-side airbag could cause fatal injuries to a child not properly restrained during an accident?

Making sure your children are restrained properly is common sense.

We don't have to remind you that children are our most precious resources. Do your part to protect them.

Keep them safe in your vehicle either with seat belts or child seats.

By RON GOWER

rgower@tnonline.com