News: Safe Kids and State Farm Offer Child Seat Safety Check

September 15, 2008
National Child Passenger Safety Week is September 21-27 and Safe Kids Savannah along with State Farm Insurance Company will offer free child safety seat inspections from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Friday, September 26 at Week Day Ministries in the parking lot of First Baptist Church, 118 East 6th Street in Rincon.

Child passenger safety advocates in Chatham and Effingham Counties are constantly encouraging parents and caregivers to check their child’s car seat for proper fit and installation. Child passenger safety advocates include health departments, hospitals, emergency medical services, law enforcement, fire departments, childcare providers, school bus transportation personnel, volunteers, and various other national, state, and community level stakeholders.

“The national campaign reinforces the important message of children riding appropriately in child safety seats,” said Jane Garrison, Safe Kids Savannah coordinator.

In 2006 in Georgia, 43 children ages 0-9 died in motor vehicle crashes. Many of these lives could have been saved if the children had been riding in appropriate and correctly installed child safety seats. It is also estimated that 425 lives nationwide were saved in 2006 due to child safety seats.

Compatibility is still an issue. Not all car seats can be installed correctly in all vehicles. In addition to compatibility issues, many parents and caregivers do not read the car seat instructions or the owner’s manual of their vehicle. Those who do read them may find that the instructions and manuals are just too confusing.

“We are here as a resource for parents,” said Garrison. “At Safe Kids we understand that things are always changing. Some parents may have never known the proper way to install a child safety eat and others may be installing a seat the for a first time in a long time. We can help.”

For more information on the child safety seat inspections, please call Safe Kids Savannah at 912-353-3148 or 912-356-2160.

WWW Address: http://www.gachd.org/news/safe_kids_and_state_farm_offer.php