Riding without safety belts or child safety seats is the greatest
risk factor for death and injury among child occupants in
motor vehicles. Riding unrestrained in a motor vehicle places
children ages four and younger at twice the risk of death or
Child safety belt, car safety seat, and bicycle helmet use: Colorado
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1995 and 1997
injury compared to those who are restrained 3 . Child occupant
protection and safety belt laws have been proven effective
at increasing the rate of restraint use 4 . In Colorado, all children
less than 16 years of age are required by law to use a child
safety seat or safety belt while riding in a car 5 .