Motor vehicle crashes are a leading killer of children, and the latest troubling research from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that nearly half (46%) of car seats are actually misused.
To combat this issue, the Pilot Club of Washington County will be hosting a Car Seat Safety Check on Saturday, September 30. The event will be held in the historic Sandersville School parking lot at 514 North Harris Street from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
This event is in line with the observance of Child Passenger Safety Week, which ran from Sunday, September 17 through Saturday, September 23. It encourages instruction on how to install and correctly use car seats.
It is critical that parents and caregivers ensure that, if a child is too large or too old for a car seat, they are first put into a booster seat until a seat belt can correctly fit.
There is also a deadly misconception that a certain type of vehicle may offer greater protection for the child. Children are safest when correctly secured in the right car seats or booster seats for their ages and sizes – no matter the vehicle type. It is never safe, nor legal, to let a child ride unbuckled.
The NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height and weight allowed by their particular seats. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, he or she is then 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 properly fit in a seat belt.
Booster seats are an essential step between car seats and seat belts. These transitional seats position the seat belt so that it fits properly over the stronger parts of the child’s body. Do not feel pressured to put a child into a seat belt too soon, but when the child is ready to use a seat belt, ensure the seat belt correctly fits. The safest place for all kids under 13 years of age is buckled up in the back seat.
The Pilot Club of Washington County Car Seat Safety Check held on Saturday at the Sandersville School from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. will offer car seat safety checks from certified inspectors with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Sandersville Fire Department, and Tennille Fire Department.
Children activities will be ongoing throughout the event, including snow cones offered to each child.