Safe Kids Henderson-Vance Coalition today announced it will conduct a “National Seat Check Saturday” event on Sept. 22, 2012 at Armory Parking Lot on Dabney Dr. Certified child passenger safety technicians will be on hand from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm to check car seats for proper installation and advise parents and caregivers how to choose the right car seats and install them properly in their vehicles. The event, part of Safe Kids Henderson-Vance Coalition’s participation in Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 16-22, is free to the public.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. Crash data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2010 shows that about 2 children 12 or younger were killed and 325 were injured each day in passenger vehicles.
“You can never predict or control what other drivers might do or how the weather might change the safety of a roadway,” said Lt. Irvin Robinson. “The best way to protect your kids is to put them in the right car seats for their age and size and use those seats correctly on every trip, every time. By attending Safe Kids Henderson-Vance Coalition car seat event on National Seat Check Saturday, parents and caregivers can be sure their kids are riding as safely as possible.”
Lt. Irvin Robinson also urged parents to follow NHTSA’s car seat recommendations that recommend parents and caregivers keep children in their restraint types for as long as possible according to manufacturer instructions before moving them to the next type. For maximum safety, a parent or caregiver should have the car seat installation inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to ensure their children are in the right seats for their age and size. Children 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.