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| Sunday, 27 February 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Buckle up for a safer ride Whether you're on your way to sports practice, your aunt's house, or to school, you would probably be getting there by riding in a car or a bus. Most children spend some time in a car or a bus every day. Cars and buses can be great because they're faster than cycling or walking. But riding in cars involves some responsibility on your part - and a different set of safety methods: you need to ride safely. Luckily, it's not hard to follow these methods. Keep reading 'Traffic Watch' and you'll learn the rules of car safety. Whenever you ride in a car, wear your seat belt. No matter how short the trip is - even if your destination is just around the corner - you still need to buckle up. This is important because if the car you're riding in meets with an accident, the seat belt holds you back. Even if the car is moving slowly, you can still get thrown around if you're not wearing your seat belt. Sometimes seat belts need to be adjusted to fit a child properly, so ask an adult to make sure your seat belt fits right. Riding in a friend's or relative's car is no excuse to skip the seat belt. Even if your friend or his/her parents don't wear seat belts, always wear yours. And don't ever share a seat belt with a friend - it might be fun to buckle up as a pair, but you could both get hurt in an accident. Here's another important safety rule: sit in the backseat. Children under 12 years of age should be seated in the back. It's simply the safest place to be. In an accident, you have less chance of hitting against something hard like the windshield, if you're in the back. If you're in the backseat with friends or brothers and sisters, everyone needs to keep their seat belts on. You should also sit quietly. It can be hard for the driver to concentrate on driving and see what's going on outside the car if you're jumping around in the back. What about air bags? You might know a little bit about air bags because many car commercials on TV or newspapers talk about them. If a car with air bags is in a front-end accident, the bags burst out of the steering wheel and dashboard and blow up like big balloons. This happens very quickly - in the blink of an eye. Air bags cushion passengers during an accident to keep them from hitting the dashboard or windshield. But even though the bags have saved many adults' lives, children 12 years and under should never sit in the front seat of a car that has air bags. That's because air bags are made to protect a bigger person's body, and when they open, they can hurt children. But what if you're going to ride in someone else's car and you're asked to sit in the front seat? First, make sure the adult driver knows the rule: No one below 12 years travels in the front. If you have no choice but to sit in the front, follow safety rules. Wear your seat belt! Air bags do not - and should not - take the place of seat belts. Have an adult help you push your seat all the way back, so you'll be as far away from the air bag as possible. And keep your back against the seat - don't lean forward or wiggle around. |
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