• The lap belt and shoulder belt are secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which are better able to withstand crash forces than other parts of your body.
• Place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and away from your neck.
• The lap belt rests across your hips, not your stomach.
• NEVER put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm.

For young children, the most critical element for their safety is having your child in the appropriate seat for the child’s height and weight and making sure that seat is installed properly. Here are a couple of great resources to help you make sure your child is as safe as possible in your vehicle.

1. https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats
2. https://www.safekids.org/car-seat

For all kids, Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines developed this great graphic >>> that gives information on both Iowa law and best practices for parents and caregivers.

So far this year in Iowa, 29 people have been killed in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of four since last Friday. In Iowa in 2022, there were 338 traffic-related deaths. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf