On Wednesday, September 15, the Sandersville Police Department (SPD) announced that certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be offering free car seat safety checks and education to parents and caregivers, by appointment only, on Monday, September 20 and Tuesday, September 21 at 130 Malone Street in Sandersville. Individuals must sign up for by 4 p.m. on Friday, September 17. The practicing of social distancing and wearing of face masks will be required.
This event is in line with Sandersville Police’s observance of Child Passenger Safety Week, which will run from Sunday, September 19 through Saturday, September 25, and encourages instruction on how to install and correctly use car seats. Technicians will be on site at the event to 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 there is a recall.
“We know parents and caregivers have a lot on their plates, so we hope that Child Passenger Safety Week will be an opportunity to take just an hour or so to ensure their child is safe in their car seat or booster seat,” said Captain Kelly Collins of the Sandersville Police Department. “No parent ever wants to get it wrong when it comes to a child’s safety. Don’t think you know, know you know that your kids are secure in their car seats, and are in the right seats for their ages and sizes.”
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 (NHTSA) shows that nearly half (46%) of car seats are misused. In 2020, nationwide, there were 1,266 fatalities in the 0 – 15 age group with 58 occurring in Georgia.
Using age and size-appropriate car seats, and installing them correctly are the best ways to reduce needless deaths,” said Captain Collins. “Many of those kids could have survived if they had been buckled up.”
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 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 Sandersville Police Department’s National Seat Check event is being held from 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. on Monday, September 20. On Tuesday, September 21, the event will be from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Call the SPD to register for this event at 478-552-3121.
For further information on car seat safety, visit nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats.