Driving in Greater Minnesota can be a welcome contrast to metro driving. What isn’t different is the need to buckle up and ensure children are in the correct car seat!
The statewide Click It or Ticket campaign from Sept. 21-27 helps enforce the life-saving seat belt law and reminds motorists to drive smart.
Most Minnesotans make the decision to buckle up, but in 2024 preliminary data indicate 106 unbelted motorists died on Minnesota roads, unfortunately an increase from 79 in 2023. And restraint use among children is associated with the driver’s seat belt use. Parents and caregivers need to set a good example by always wearing their seat belt and ensuring that passengers are transported correctly!
Rice County Public Health and Rice County Safe Roads Coalition remind everyone that Minnesota law states that drivers and passengers in all seating positions must wear seat belts or be in the correct child restraint.
Parents need to take time to make sure their child is properly restrained and that they are using the correct car seat or booster seat for their child’s size and age.
“We are asking parents to take time to review recommendations so car seats and boosters are properly installed. It’s important they are using the correct restraint for their child, and to be a good role model for their child and buckle-up. We want everyone riding in vehicles to be as safe as possible,” says Deb Purfeerst, Rice County Public Health Director.
Minnesota Child Passenger Safety Guidelines:
· Birth to at least 2 years old: Rear-facing in an infant or convertible child safety seat
· At least 2 years old AND has outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight: Forward-facing with an internal harness
· 4 years old AND has outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight: Ride restrained in a belt positioning booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt
· 9 years old or has outgrown the booster seat AND the child can pass the five-step test that demonstrates the seat belt fits correctly: Ride restrained with a lap belt and shoulder belt secured correctly on the vehicle seat
· Children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible
Requirements to past the five-step test:
1. The child sits all the way back against the vehicle seat
2. The child’s knees bend over the edge of the vehicle seat
3. The lap belt fits snugly across the hips near the top of the child’s thighs, not the abdomen
4. The shoulder belt snugly crosses the center of the child’s chest and shoulder, not the neck
5. The child sits correctly, without slouching, for the duration of the ride.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit the Minnesota Department of Public Safety website for Child Passenger Safety at: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/child-passenger-safety/Pages/default.aspx for more information.
Rice County Public Health has a limited supply of car seats available for families who lack financial resources to purchase a car seat, and certified car seat technicians are on staff to help answer questions. Give our car seat coordinator a call at 507-333-3818 if you would like your seat checked or have questions.
Seat belts save lives. Buckle up every time!
