Freeholders invite county residents to a series of bike program for kids and car safety program for seniors.
A CarFit event will be hosted for seniors in Garwood on Sept. 28th, and a bike give away for children in Plainfield on October 7th.
On Thursday, Sept. 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., personnel from the Union County Police will partner with AAA to host the CarFit event at the Garwood First Aid Squad, located at 401 Second Avenue in Garwood. While this event is geared towards seniors, all drivers are welcome to attend and no appointment is necessary. The event will be held on a first come, first-serve basis.
"The Freeholder board would like to invite all senior drivers to attend this free event and ensure that their cars are properly adjusted for them," said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. "Our over-arching goal is to ensure road safety."
CarFit is a national program designed to help seniors make sure that their vehicles are properly adjusted and safe to operate. The program also helps to increase senior drivers' mobility in the community.
At the event, a team of trained technicians will work with each participant to ensure they "fit" their vehicle properly for maximum comfort and safety. A CarFit check takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Then on Saturday, Oct. 7, the County will also co-sponsor a bicycle and helmet giveaway event from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Plainfield Dairy Queen, located at 1367 South Avenue in Plainfield. This is a free event open to the public.
Approximately 100 bikes and helmets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis to kids. This event is held quarterly by the Albanese family, owners of the Dairy Queen in Plainfield.
Both programs will be administered/assisted through the County's Child Safety Seat unit.
On a related note, the Union County Freeholders would like all residents to know that as of Sept. 1, new legislation went into effect that has changed the regulations regarding the use of infant and child car seats in New Jersey.
The previous law had an exemption which would allow an individual to say that they had been following the car seat manufacturer's height and weight recommendations for the car seat that they were using. Under the new law, this exemption no longer exists. It is important to clarify the new rules to ensure that all parents have selected the appropriate car seat for their child.
These are the regulations under the new law:
* Children up to age 2 and weighing up to 30 pounds must be in a rear-facing car seat with a five-point harness.
* Children ages 2 to 4 weighing up to 40 pounds must be secured in either a rear-facing or a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness in the back of a vehicle.
* Children ages 4 to 8 are required to remain in a car or booster seat in the back seat of a vehicle until they are at least 8 years old or 57 inches tall.
* Children age 8 and older are permitted to sit in a regular seat using a seat belt. Although New Jersey law does not specify at what age children can move from the back to the front seat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children should remain in the back seat until at least the age of 13.
For more information on the County's Child Safety seat program, go to http://ucnj.org/public-safety/division-of-police/child-safety-seat-inspection-program/