One person is dead and two others were injured after a reckless driver crashed into a tree on Milwaukee's northwest side Thursday night.
A child was seriously hurt, but Milwaukee Police said thankfully the 2-year-old girl involved was in a car seat.
Lt. Dan Tyk with the North Shore Fire Department explained the importance of a car seat in an accident.
"Car seats are designed to take those forces just like cars are designed now with airbags and different safety systems," said Lt. Tyk. "Those seats are really tested and designed to disperse those forces away from the child and into the car seat and by removing those forces it definitely decreases the chance of injury."
Milwaukee Police said the driver was speeding and driving recklessly. Officers tried to pull her over, but she didn't cooperate. Police didn't chase after the car. The driver lost control and drove into a tree.
Lt. Tyk said simply having a car seat isn't enough.
"There's kind of a misnomer that, hey if I'm just putting my child in a car seat no matter what type it is, whether it's properly fit or not, they're gonna be safe then that's not necessarily true either," said Lt. Tyk.
Safe Kids Southeast Wisconsin Coordinator Lisa Klindt Simpson said using a car seat the right way can reduce the risk of death by 71 percent. She partners with Children's Hospital to educate families about car seat safety.
"They should have their child in the correct seat for the age, stage, weight and height of their child," said Klindt Simpson
Also, making sure the child is properly secured is crucial.
"If the harness is too loose or the chest clips not in the right place that allows wiggle room that in a crash or even a hard break your child's gonna have more movement and if there's more movement there's a potential for more injury," said Klindt Simpson.
Many local fire and police departments can help set up your car seat.
Safe Kids Wisconsin is a resource for more information.
