Child Passenger Safety Week runs from September 23-29, 2018. The week is dedicated to teaching parents and caregivers about the importance of correctly choosing, installing, and using car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.
Parents will also be reminded of the importance of registering car seats with their manufacturers so they can be notified in the event of a recall.
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading killer of children, and the latest research from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that nearly two out of three car seats are misused. Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson added that using age- and size-appropriate car seats and installing them correctly are the best ways to reduce these deaths.
More than one-third of children 12 and younger who died in crashes in 2016 while riding in cars, pickups, vans, and SUVs were unbuckled. Many of those kids could have survived if they had been buckled up.
NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height and weight allowed by the particular seats. It’s the best way to keep them safe. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.
After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, a child should be placed in a booster seat until tall enough to fit in a seat belt properly. The safest place for all kids under 13 is in the back seat.
“As a parent, whether you consider yourself a beginner or an aficionado, keeping your children safe is always a top priority,” said Somerset County Chief of Detectives John W. Fodor. “And that should always include using the right car seat, booster seat, or seat belt for your child.” Every 33 seconds in 2015, one child under 13 was involved in a passenger vehicle crash.
Prosecutor Robertson and Chief Fodor stated, “No parent ever wants to get it wrong when it comes to a child’s safety. That’s why we’re hosting this car seat check event on National Seat Check Saturday. Parents – don’t just think you know - know you know - that your kids are secure in their car seats, and are in the right seats for their ages and sizes.”
The following events will be taking place in the Somerset and Hunterdon County areas:
September 25th Tuesday 5 pm to 8 pm Hunterdon County Complex located at 314 State Route 12 in Flemington
September 29th Saturday 10 am to 1:30 pm Hillsborough Volunteer Fire Company #2 located at 375 Route 206 in Hillsborough
September 29th Saturday 10 am to 1:30 pm Hunterdon County Complex located at 314 State Route 12 in Flemington
Trained Child Passenger Safety Seat Technicians will be at these locations to inspect and teach parents and caregivers about proper child passenger safety seat use. No appointments are required and the service is FREE.