Is legislation enough? Stronger laws are an important first step. But to change behavior and improve the tragic statistics of children injured or killed in automobile crashes, think "Double E": enforcement and education. Law enforcement officers must understand and enforce laws with consistency. Consequently, the enactment of any new child passenger safety law should be accompanied by an outreach and education campaign geared to parents and law enforcement. If I follow my state's child passenger safety law is my child safe? Not necessarily. Oftentimes state laws do not mimic best practice. While you should be familiar with your state's law, it is important to understand how to best restrain your child while traveling in a vehicle according to best practice. Do we really need more government interference? States maintain and patrol roads and set rules and regulations for everyone's safety. States have a vested interest in keeping citizens, especially children, safe. A quick look at the statistics should convince you of the need for occupant protection laws: Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. Each year, nearly 1,600 children age 14 and under die in motor vehicle crashes, and more than 200,000 are injured. Every day in the United States, an average of 5 children age 14 and younger were killed and 548 were injured in motor vehicle crashes during 2007. During 2007, 6,532 passenger vehicle occupants age 14 and younger were involved in fatal crashes. For those children where restraint use was known, 25 percent were unrestrained; among those who were fatally injured, 45 percent were unrestrained. Are these laws enforceable? Yes, to the extent that any law is enforceable. To be successful, virtually all laws require voluntary compliance on the part of the people affected by them. Child passenger protection laws need to be clearly written so that violations can be easily detected. How do adult seat belt laws impact child safety? Studies show that parents who wear their seat belts are more likely to properly restrain their children, and that seat belt use is significantly higher in states with primary enforcement laws. A recent survey found that shoulder belt use in states with seat belt laws was 77 percent, compared with 64 percent in states that do not require the use of seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drivers who buckle up do the same for children riding with them 87 percent of the time. This percentage decreases to 76 percent when drivers are not buckled.