Child safety seat checks set in Havre Monday

Press release

Hill County Buckle Up Coalition announced that certified child passenger safety technicians will be offering free car seat safety checks and education to parents and caregivers Monday at the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line in Havre from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event is part of National Seat Check Week, and will include instruction on how to install and use car seats correctly. Technicians will also help determine if the child is in the right seat for their age and size, and explain the importance of registering car seats with their manufacturers so parents and caregivers can be notified if a recall is issued.

“Parents or caregivers have a long list of things to do to keep children safe,” Hill County Buckle Up Coordinator Mary Owens said. “That list should always include using the right car seat, booster seat, or seat belt for your child.

“All parents need to know that their kids are properly secured in a car seat that is the right one for age and size of the child,” she added.

The car seat check event during National Child Passenger Safety Week is designed to help every parent or caregiver get it right every time a child rides in a vehicle.

In 2017, a child younger than 13 was involved in a passenger vehicle crash every 32 seconds. 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 shows that nearly half — 46 percent — of car seats are misused.

Owens said 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 2017 while riding in cars, pickups, vans and SUVs were unbuckled,” she said. “Many of those kids could have survived if they had been properly secured.”

National Child Passenger Safety Week runs Sept. 15-21. 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.

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 children younger than 13 is in the back seat.

All parents and caregivers are invited to attend this free event Monday at the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.