Buckle up! It’s the law. However, day in and out I see cars zoom by with children playing about in the car without a seat restraint.

My question for those parents is what are you thinking?

When rushing out the door heading to work or school you jump in the car, cell phone in hand, throw your seat belt on, but don’t take the time to buckle up your child?

One of the fundamental responsibilities as a parent is to keep our children safe. This is such blatant disregard for the child’s security.

Its a frustrating feeling to see children roaming freely as their parents navigate the roadways.

The National Traffic Safety Administration recommends that ‘all children under age 13 should ride in the backseat.

“Additionally, children in rear facing car seats should never ride in front with an active passenger air bag,” they say.

With that in mind, think of the volume of cars passing by as you wait at a red light with a child jumping over seats or swaying between the two front seats as their parent turns a corner or comes to a stop.

Safety first is definitely not on the minds of these parents.

As a parent we are faced with making difficult choices, at times, but there is never a valid reason to not protect your child to the best of your ability.

There are seat belt laws in our country that provide a clear guideline for parents and guardians to follow which protect children.

We get one shot as a parent to give our children the best life we can.

When a parent doesn’t take a few minutes to safely buckle up a child, they are shucking their responsibility.

Don’t let your children roam around your vehicle freely. There are enough hardships in life without the parent being neglectful and contributing to heartaches.

Utilize a car seat; buckle your children or child up!

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this blog are the opinions of Yvonne Alex and do not reflect the opinions or views of any other Pioneer employees.

To contact Yvonne Alex, email staffwriter4@occc.edu.