ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 20, 2002 CONTACT: Dave Druker CONTACT: Elizabeth Kaufman PHONE:  (312) 814-8301

Secretary White Urges Drivers to Wear Their Safety Belts During Buckle Up America Week

CHICAGO –– Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White reminds drivers to wear their safety belts and make sure their children are properly restrained during Buckle Up America week from May 19th through the 25th.

"Be smart and always use your safety belt," White said. To save lives on our roadways, let's be sure we buckle up everyday, not just this week."

Safety belts and child restraints saved more than 11,000 lives over the age of 4 in 2000, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

NHTSA reports that seat belt usage has increased from 15 percent in the 1980s to 71 percent today. However, more than 80,000 drivers were convicted of not wearing their safety belts in Illinois in 2000 and 1,418 lives were lost in accidents.

Illinois state law requires:

• All drivers and front seat passengers to wear safety belts
• All back seat passengers under age 18 must wear safety belts
• Children between 4 and 16 years of age must be secured in either a child safety seat or safety belt
• Children under age four must be secured in a federally approved safety restraint system

Parents should never place rear-facing child safety seats in the front passenger seat unless the passenger airbag has been shut off, White said. Also, infants should remain in rear-facing child safety seats until they are one year of age and 20 pounds.

Secretary White opened two additional Child Passenger Safety Seat Fitting Stations in Moline and Macomb this month as part of his statewide "Kids In Safe Seats" (KISS) program. There are currently five fitting stations in Illinois, including stations in Springfield, Niles, and Chicago.

For more information on child safety seats, visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com and go to the Driver Services Department page or call the Child Safety hotline at 866-247-0213.