1999 Operation ABC Mobilization: America Buckles Up Children

1999 Operation ABC Mobilization
America Buckles Up Children	VAMC Employee Association joins hundreds of corporate, civic and advocacy organizations nationwide giving their "Endorsement for Enforcement," to show their gratitude for every officer’s devotion to safely buckling up children. We support the efforts of the thousands of law enforcement agencies nationwide to urge zero tolerance for unbuckled kids by using every means at their disposal to get kids buckled up during the Operation ABC Mobilization.
Crashes #1 Killer of America’s Kids	Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death and injury to children ages 0-15. Six out of ten children killed in crashes are completely unrestrained. There are one-third fewer traffic fatalities to children who ride properly restrained in the back seat. Seat belts increase the chance of surviving a crash by nearly 45 percent. Child safety seats, properly installed, reduce the risk of death by 69 percent for infants and 47 percent for toddlers. The best way to get children buckled up is to get adults buckled up. The best way to teach your child is by showing him. They mimic what parents do. So buckle up yourself after buckling up your child. According to surveys by NHTSA, when drivers aren’t buckled, the number of children riding with them who are also unrestrained mirrors the adult level, reaching 76 percent. In addition, a survey of parents who have infants shows that the lack of adult belt use particularly endangers babies. Parent who don’t buckle up are more likely to improperly place babies in the front seat, leaving them at serious risk of being injured of killed by air bag.
Challenge	Please join us in supporting this mission of law enforcement: The law requires that all children be buckled up at all times. If they’re not, drivers will get a ticket. No exceptions. No excuses. Public opinion surveys show that nine out of ten Americans support strong enforcement of child passenger safety laws. Although only law enforcement officers can write the tickets, we stand firmly behind the lifesaving message each ticket delivers.