Wednesday, September 8, 2010


With Child Safety week approaching September 19-25, I’m reminded of how we became involved in child safety more than 35,000 car seats and ten years ago.

According to Forbes and NHTSA, an average of four children under the age of 14 are killed daily in car crashes in the US. While that’s terrible news, we can do better because we know that many injuries and fatalities are avoidable. How?

Car Seats: We have seen the misuse rate drop at our monthly seat checks, but more than 75% of car seats installed nationally are incorrect. Check your instructions for the seat and the car, and get your seat checked at our upcoming Seat Check September 16th.

Keep kids in the seats: Children move through a series of car seats, not one and done. They move from infant, rear facing, to forward facing with harnesses, to boosters, to seat belts. Kids do not “graduate” from safety, they move from child restraints, to adolescent, to young adult, to adult restraints (seat belts).

Keep kids in the back seat: In our daily driving, it is always safest in the back seat, for kids up to age 14. Air bags are designed as a “supplemental” restraint device, and seat belts are made to fit adults.

Parents and caregivers lead by example by wearing their own seatbelts every time you are in your car. Help us spread the word.

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