WHEREAS, The number one, preventable cause of death and injury of children and young adults is the automobile collision; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 200 children under the age of 16 years are killed, and over 28,000 children in this age group are injured, in automobile collisions each year in California; and

WHEREAS, Up to 71 percent of the children killed would be alive today if they had been properly restrained in crash-tested car safety seats or safety belts; and

WHEREAS, Infants and young children are not capable of initiating action to use proper restraints and are not protected adequately by automatic belts or air bags; and

WHEREAS, Only about 60 percent of children in this age group are protected by proper restraint use; and

WHEREAS, Crash-tested safety seats are moderately priced and widely available for purchase at retail stores and for rent or at low cost from car safety seat loan programs throughout California; and

WHEREAS, The State of California has required children, until they are both four years of age and 40 pounds or more, to be restrained in child safety seats and all other motor vehicle occupants to use safety belts; and

WHEREAS, The goal of SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is to further the right of every child to protection from injury or death while being transported in a motor vehicle; now, therefore, be it