Local police urge parents, caregivers to get car seats inspected

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Recently, Mayor Sue Murray signed a proclamation declaring Sept. 18-24 Child Passenger Safety Week. From left are: Darcy Hendershot, Greencastle Police; Brad Tucker, Brad Tucker Insurance; Terese Cunningham, Terese Cunningham Insurance; Murray; Heather Taylor, Heather Taylor Insurance; and Jennifer Bedwell, Putnam County Hospital.

The Greencastle Police Department, along with Putnam County Sheriff's Department, is urging parents and caregivers to have their children's car seats checked on National Seat Check Saturday on Sept. 17.

"We will have technicians on hand to inspect seats for correct installation, recalls, expired seats, and make sure the child is in the correct seat for their weight and height," Darcy Hendershot, GPD car seat technician, said.

As part of Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept.18-24, certified child passenger safety technicians from Putnam County Permanent Fitting Stations will be available to inspect car seats and provide free hands-on advice from 9 a.m. to noon at Putnam County Hospital.

"The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released updated car seat recommendations for children through age 12," Greencastle Police Chief Tom Sutherlin said.

"We want to help you do all you can to best protect your child when traveling. During Child Passenger Safety Week, we urge all parents and caregivers to have your car seat checked by a certified technician. When it comes to the safety of your child, there is no room for mistakes."

In motor vehicle crashes, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for children younger than 1 and by 54 percent for children 1 to 4 in passenger cars, according to data collected by NHTSA.

In 2009 alone, 754 children 12 or younger were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes while riding in passenger cars or light trucks. And among those who were fatally injured where restraint use was known, 42 percent were unrestrained. Many of these tragedies could have been prevented if the children were in the right restraint for their age and size.

The updated recommendations emphasize how important it is to keep children in each restraint type for as long as possible before moving them to the next type. For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers should visit their local inspection station to ensure their children's car seats are used properly:

Birth -- 12 months

For the best possible protection, your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. There are different types of rear-facing car seats: infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1 -- 3 years

Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. This may result in many children riding rear-facing to age 2 or older. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

4 -- 7 years

Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it's time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

8 -- 12 years

Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.

Remember:

-- Select a car seat based on your child's age and size, and choose a seat that fits in your vehicle and use it every time.

-- Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer's instructions; read the vehicle owner's manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH system; and check height and weight limits.

-- To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer's height and weight requirements.

-- Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.

For more information on Child Passenger Safety Week or to find your local car seat event, visit www.nhtsa.gov.

For live updates follow @childseatsafety on Twitter or join the community of parents, advocates and safety experts on http://www.facebook.com/childpassengersafety.

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