Motor vehicle crashes kill the young

Local children properly buckled in the back seat.

Did you know that the number one killer of Americans up to the age of 34 is motor vehicle crashes?

They are the leading cause of death for teenagers.

More than 1,600 Georgians die in car crashes each year. And of those killed, more than half of them were either not wearing seatbelts or restrained by a child's seat.

The good news is that more than 9,500 lives are saved in the U.S. each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Here are some common mistakes about using seat belts and child safety seats.

Not everyone takes the time to buckle up and of those who do, many buckle up incorrectly.

Keep in mind that the lap belt should fit over your hips rather than across your abdomen. The shoulder belt should be strapped across your chest and go over your shoulder.

While it may be more comfortable to keep slack in your seat belt, keep in mind that the slack you leave means more room you have to be tossed around in an accident.

Seatbelts and child safety seats prevent occupants from being ejected from the vehicle. They reduce the risk of colliding with the steering wheel, dashboard and windshield.

For maximum safety, child seats should be properly restrained in the rear seat of your vehicle.

Georgia law requires all occupants in a vehicle to wear a seat belt.

Failure to do so, can result in a fine for the first offense. For occupants under the age of 17, failure to wear a seatbelt

will result in a larger fine to

be paid by the driver.

If you have a

child under the

age of six in your vehicle, he or she is

required to be in a

child restraint or

a booster seat fitted

to his or her size and

weight. Failure to properly restrain the child will result in a fine and points on your record for every child for the first offense. Should you be stopped for a second offense, the points will doubled.

If you have questions about child safety seats, you may contact the local health department.

Also, please also feel free to call us at Union County Emergency Medical Services (706-781-3178).

Please buckle up and drive safely. Your life and that of others depends on it.