A Dallas County police department is reminding people about the precautions a guardian should take when having a child in a vehicle. 

The Child Passenger Safety Week lasts from now until September 24th. The Perry Police Department wants to make sure children under one year of age and weighing less than 20 pounds should be in a rear facing restraint system that is used according to the manufacturer’s instructions in the backseat of the vehicle. Children that are six years of age and over 20 pounds must also be in a restraint system because a seatbelt alone will not provide the right protection. A child between the ages of six and eighteen must be in a restraint system with a seat belt or safety harness. 

The police department notes that the leading cause of deaths of children are motor vehicle accidents. For more information about Child Passenger Safety Week visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.