Families should practice the following safety tips on every ride: 

• Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip.  
• Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a back seat. A back seat is generally the safest place for a child to ride. While air bags can save lives, kids riding in the front seat can be seriously injured or killed when an air bag comes out in a crash. Even with advanced air bags or no air bags, the back seat is safer for children.  
• Never put a rear-facing child in a front seat with an active frontal air bag.  
• Choose the right child safety seat or safety belt for your child’s size and age. Make sure you have the right seat for your child.  
• Infants should ride in rear-facing safety seats as long as possible, until they are at least 12 months old and weigh at least 20 pounds.  
• Children who are at least 1 year old, weigh 20 to 40 pounds and can no longer ride in rear-facing seats should ride in forward-facing child safety seats.  
• Children over 40 pounds should be correctly secured in belt-positioning boosters or other appropriate child restraints until the adult lap and shoulder belts fit correctly, usually around age 8.  
• Once the vehicle safety belts fit children, both lap and shoulder belts should be used correctly. 
• Install and use your child safety seat or safety belt according to the manufacturer’s instructions and your vehicle owner's manual.  
• Ensure your child safety seat has not been recalled.