A safety expert with the Texas Kidsafe Child Passenger Safety program, which is part of Baylor Scott & White, stresses the importance of wearing seat belts.
Keith Reed said if people are involved in a crash and are not wearing a seat belt, they have an upward of 90 percent chance of being severely injured or killed.
"The importance of wearing a seat belt is critical. If you are not wearing a seat belt and you get into a crash, if you get ejected from the vehicle, you have a 75 percent chance of dying right where you land," Reed said.
He also said it's important to wear seat belts properly, which should be positioned on the hard part of your shoulder and over your hips. If you don't do that, Reed stresses that it could be just as dangerous as not wearing a seat belt at all.
"Worst outcome is obviously death, but sometimes there's a 'living death.' It's what we call injuries that are lifelong, that cost people millions of dollars in hospital expenses, living expenses," Reed said.
In addition, he advises people to be mindful of objects, such as grocery bags, that can become projectiles during a car crash.
He said children should be in car seats facing backward at least until they weigh 40 pounds or are 40 inches tall. After that, children can face forward while wearing a five-point harness. A booster seat is advised until children are 4 feet 9 inches tall.
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