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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- There are 150,000 vehicle crashes each year across Missouri and 786 people died last year. So far this year, deaths are up nine percent across Missouri. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, for children under 12, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death.

To help bring those numbers down, the Missouri State Highway Patrol wants everyone to participate in Child Passenger Safety Week by not only buckling up yourself, but making sure your children are buckled properly. 

“Cars and trucks today are not manufactured for children. They are manufactured for adults, thus those seatbelts are not going to adequately protect that child in the event they are in a traffic crash. The best protection, obviously, is making sure that your child is protected by a child restraint seat that is appropriate for their size,” Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Brent Bernhardt said.

While most people admit to using a car seat for their children, most people don’t have it properly installed. The top five improper techniques using car seats include using the wrong harness slot, having the seat in the wrong position, not restraining the child tight enough, not having the seat tight enough, and improperly placing the belt over the child.

By wearing a restraint, you are 50 percent more likely to survive a car crash. In the state of Missouri, children under four years of age are required to have a child restraint seat and children four years to eight years must have a booster seat unless they weigh 80 pounds or are four feet nine inches tall.