Sit tight.(SAFETY ZONE)

Current Health 2, a Weekly Reader publication, February, 2008

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Car crashes sometimes happen, even if you get an A in driver's ed and faithfully follow all the rules of the road. Their results can be devastating--in 2002, nearly 2,000 people ages 16 to 20 died after being thrown from vehicles. You can greatly reduce your risk of becoming a statistic by taking advantage of a car's built-in safety devices: seat belts and air bags. Here's what you need to know about them.

SEAT BELTS

* About 60 percent of teen drivers and passengers killed in car crashes in 2002 weren't wearing seatbelts. That percentage shot up to 77 percent for teen drivers who'd been drinking.

* Among 16- to 20-year-olds, nearly eight in 10 say they always wear seat belts, but only half buckle up when...

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