Seat belt and passenger safety tips for motorists and passengers of all ages.

As a motorist, part of your job is to keep your passengers safe.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 60 percent of the 5,625 young adults ages 16 to 20 who were killed when riding in passenger vehicles in 2002 were not wearing safety belts. 

Better education about all aspects of passenger and seat belt use could further reduce the number of fatalities related to traffic accidents.

Here are five of the top passenger safety tips and facts, with an emphasis on seat belt safety. Share these tips with people who ride with you, and keep yourself and all your passengers safe.

1. Wear your seat belts even on short trips.
2. The lap seat belt should be worn snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach.
3. The sholder belt belongs should be worn across the chest and not cut into the neck or shoulder.
4. All children under 12 should ride in the back seat.
5. Seat belt use greatly decreases ejection from a vehicle during an accident. According to the NHTSA, only 1 percent of ejections occur among people who wear seat belts, compared with 29 percent for those who were not restrained by safety belts.