TxDOT has teamed up with a former NASA rocket scientist to drive home the importance of car seat safety in the Lone Star State. During National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 15-21, TxDOT launched the "Save Me With a Seat" campaign, featuring Shayla Rivera, an ex-NASA talent now focused on preventing tragedies on earth—specifically those involving our youngest passengers. As TxDOT details, Rivera's expertise is being channeled to stress that car seats, when installed correctly, have the potential to be life-saving devices.
TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams emphasized the critical importance of ensuring car seat safety, urging parents on the TxDOT website, “It’s extremely important that parents schedule a car seat check today.” Not mincing words, Williams made it his mission to convince parents to fully ensure their car seat installations are up to snuff. The stakes are high, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports nearly half (46%) of all car seats are not installed correctly. This alarming statistic has prompted TxDOT to aggressively encourage parents to schedule a free car seat safety check, which they can do by visiting SaveMeWithASeat.org.
In addition to providing individual car seat checks, The "Save Me With a Seat" campaign is set to tour through eight Texas cities this September. Each stop will offer an "Are You Ready for Takeoff?" interactive educational experience. Here, families can learn to properly secure their kids in car seats against the backdrop of a staged journey into space. Joining the campaign's heavy educational push is Shayla Rivera, a native of Puerto Rico and a parent herself, who personally knows the importance of such preventive measures. Rivera contributes her voice to remind and educate about the critical nature of child safety in vehicles.
Law enforcement in Texas is serious about protecting the young ones, too. The state's laws require all children under 8 years old or under 4 feet, 9 inches, to securely ride in car seats. Those failing to adhere to these regulations may face penalties, with fines going up to $250. As TxDOT cited, the consequences of neglect can be severe; in 2023, the state witnessed 47 fatalities and 320 serious injuries amongst children younger than eight owing to traffic incidents. "Save Me With a Seat" is part of the broader initiative #EndTheStreakTX, which aims to cease the constant flow of daily deaths by encouraging safer driving behaviors across Texas.
