Saving little lives

FALLBROOK — Think First North County/Temecula Valley recently joined with North County Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol and the Fallbrook Healthcare District to distribute 150 booster seats to lower-income families. The event occurred at Maie Ellis Elementary School on February 27 and 28. The group installed and provided education to parents and caregivers on the proper use of child safety restraints in vehicles by certified child passenger safety techs.

In 2005, an average of five children ages 14 and younger were killed and 640 were injured in motor vehicle crashes every single day. That’s why the experts talked to parents and caregivers about the importance of restraining their children properly. Not enough children ages 4 through 7 are restrained properly for their size and age. Only 10 to 20 percent of children who should be using booster seats to protect them are actually in them. But children ages 4 to 8 who are placed in booster seats are 59 percent less likely to be injured in a car crash than children who are restrained only by a seatbelt, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.