9/8/2009
Child safety seat inspections offered during national Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 12-18)
BOISE - Secure your most precious cargo by using child safety seats correctly. Free child seat safety inspections will be offered in Idaho during national Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 12-18.
"It is the responsibility of every parent and caregiver out there to make sure children are safely restrained every trip, every time," said Lisa Losness, occupant protection specialist with the Idaho Transportation Department's Office of Highway Operations and Safety. "We are urging everyone to get their child safety seats inspected. When it comes to the safety of a child, there is no room for mistakes."
Statewide, free car seat safety check opportunities are planned for:
- Saturday, Sept. 12: Panhandle State Bank, 5th and Oak, Sandpoint, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 12: State Farm, 840 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d'Alene, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 12: Meridian Fire Station #1, Meridian, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 13: Con Paulos Dealership, Twin Falls, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Monday, Sept. 14: St. Luke's Boise, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Monday, Sept. 14: St. Luke's Meridian, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 17: St. Luke's Boise, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 17: St. Luke's Meridian, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 19: Wal-Mart, Rexburg, contact Rexburg Police Department for time at 359-3000
Nationwide, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics.
Idaho's Child Passenger Safety Law requires that all children 6 years of age or younger be properly secured in an appropriate child safety restraint.
Following are guidelines to be used when selecting an appropriate child safety restraint:
- Children under 1 year of age must be in a rear-facing infant
seat with or without removable bases.
- For children 1 year old to 4
years (typically 20 to 40 pounds), a forward-facing child safety seat is
recommended with harness straps positioned on the child's shoulders and a
harness chest clip positioned at the armpit level. The safety seat should be
positioned in the upright position (not reclined), and placed always in the
rear seat of the vehicle.
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Children, ages 4 to 6, must
be in an approved booster seat, using both lap and shoulder belts. Never use a
lap belt only. The seat should be located in the rear vehicle seat, facing
forward while the lap belt is positioned across the top of the child's thigh and
the shoulder belt should be centered across the shoulder and chest.
Avoid placing a child less than 13 years of age in front of an air bag, so children younger than 13 should ride belted safely in the back seat of a motor vehicle.
More information about child safety seats, booster seats and installation is available at www.nhtsa.dot.gov or contact Losness at (208) 334-8103.