Which of these items should be secured in a safety seat: a child or a gasoline canister?
The answer should be obvious, but as a recent story illustrates, not everyone seems to have reached the same conclusions. In Colorado last week, police pulled over the driver of a vehicle because she reportedly failed to make a proper turn in the city of Aurora. When police approached the vehicle, though, they discovered that not only were she and her two children not wearing seat belts, but her toddler was in the backseat without being seated in a car seat. The car seat was right next to the child, but a gasoline canister was secured to it instead.
Figuring that this would make a great photo op for the Click It or Ticket campaign being conducted by the Aurora Police Department, an officer snapped a photo of the scene. The picture eventually made its way to the Facebook wall of the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Initially, many people who spotted the photo thought that it had been staged as a way to raise awareness of the issue. After further consideration, though, it appears to be the real deal.
Let this serve as a reminder that children should always be buckled into the proper safety seats when being transported in a vehicle. Their safety is more important than the safety of a gas canister.