Seat Belts

Minority children might be at greater risk for car crash-related injuries because fewer wear seat belts, a study finds. The study, presented Saturday at the American Academy of Pediatrics' national conference in Boston, looked at statistics on 37,375 children younger than 16 collected from the National Trauma Database from 2002 to 2006. Among those children, less than half -- 45.7% -- were in restraints. The lowest use of seat belts was found among black, Hispanic and Native American children.

The tragic bus crash in New Orleans (May 10) has again reminded me that seat belts are not required on buses. Why not? Twenty-three people died in this accident, several of them by being thrown through the windows of the bus. In California seat belts are not required even on school buses. Seat belts are required in airplanes and cars but not on the very buses that carry little children to school. Could someone explain that to me? And don't tell me that it is so kids can get off the bus more quickly after an accident.

I head the Entertainment Industry Committee for Safety Belts, a 75-member group of actors, producers and directors, intent upon influencing American drivers to use seat belts each and every time they start their cars. In 1984, 44,300 Americans died in motor vehicle accidents because they weren't "buckled up." Sixty percent could have survived had seat belts been used. Since television and film have such a powerful influence in shaping our attitudes and behaviors, we believe that seeing the increased use of seat belts on-screen will convince Americans to follow suit.

Re "British Coroner to Investigate Theories on Diana's Death," Jan. 7: Princess Diana, her paramour and their driver died because none was bright enough to wear a seat belt. The driver lost control of the vehicle at high speed, it collided with immovable objects and destroyed itself, and the three decedents did the same. Instead of indulging in investigations of alleged "sinister causes" and other such nonsense regarding Diana's death, the cause of her demise should be widely publicized as evidence of the importance of using seat belts.

Finally--it's almost here. It's too bad it wasn't here years ago. Current estimates state that less than 20% of licensed motorists wear seat belts. Those who don't are probably not aware of the considerable benefit to safety they bring. Our office handled 274 traffic fatalities last year, and I guarantee that if all of them had been wearing seat belts, many of them would be enjoying life now. I have seen, firsthand, the deaths that could have been prevented by the use of seat belts.

Kids these days! They heed your warnings to buckle up and to call for a ride if their lift home has been drinking. But then they go and text their BFF while driving to soccer practice after school. Efforts to keep them safe are indeed reducing injuries and death among American adolescents, a new study says. But there are new risks, some posed by new technologies, that we never thought to warn them about. This is the kind of mixed picture of youth "risk-taking behavior" the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Thursday.