Well, a lot more of us didn't survive childhood back then so we must doing something right these days. I get frustrated with the "it was good enough for me" argument when people talk about childraising.
From
www.childstats.gov
Between 1980 and 2002, the death rate declined by more than half for children ages 1–4. Among children ages 1–4, unintentional injuries (accidents) were the leading cause of death at 11 per 100,000, followed by birth defects, homicide, and cancer at 3 per 100,000 children each.
Motor vehicle traffic crashes are the most common type of fatal injury among children. Use of child restraint systems, including safety seats and booster seats, can greatly reduce the number and severity of injuries to child occupants of motor vehicles. In 2002 40 percent of child occupants ages 1-4 who died in crashes were unrestrained.
Between 1980 and 2002, the death rate for children ages 5–14 declined by approximately 45 percent, from 31 to 17 deaths per 100,000. Among children ages 5–14, unintentional injuries (accidents) were the leading cause of death at 7 per 100,000, followed by cancer (3 per 100,000), birth defects, and homicides (1 per 100,000 each).
The majority of unintentional injury deaths among children ages 5–14 result from motor vehicle traffic crashes. In 2002, 45 percent of children ages 5–9 and 54 percent of children ages 10–14 who died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing a seatbelt or other restraint.
Sorry for the grim hijack. Back to rubbing dirt in the wounds.
as you went about your daily activities. 
