Safe Families

Jun 1, 2011 5:54 AM by Jenise Fernandez

State Police Helping to Install Car Seats

According to the Center for Disease Control, the leading cause of death for children in the US is motor vehicle injuries.
State Police are trying to change that and make sure all car seats are installed the right way.

"A lot of people think installing a car seat is just belt strapping along the bottom and that's it, but there's more to it, you need to make sure it's very secure," said Stacy Thibodeaux, mother of a newborn.

If you've ever tried installing a car seat you know it can be confusing and that's how Thibodeaux felt before seeking help.

"Sometimes you're not sure if the car seat is on properly and it's for the safety of your children," said Thibodeaux.

Nine out of 10 children riding in car seats aren't properly strapped in, increasing the chance of death.
State Police are helping parents get it right.

"There are hundreds of different car seats out there and several different ways to install each one, maybe certain techniques one manufacturer requires and the other doesn't," said Trooper Stephen Hammons.

Trained car seat technicians will be on hand every Wednesday at Troop I to teach you how to do it correctly, or if you already have a car seat installed, just stop by and they'll tell you if your child is safe to ride.

"The child seat can't move left to right more than inch, it can't move forward or backward more than an inch. The retainer clip has to be placed a certain way. so there are a lot of things parents may not realize they're not doing properly," said Trooper Hammons.

According to the Center for Disease Control, child car seats can reduce the chances of a child dying in a car crash, by 54 percent for toddlers and 75 percent for infants.

"It's definitely something I'll take advantage of, I think it's a great thing they're doing,"
said Thibodeaux.

Police say they won't be giving out any citations if your car seat isn't properly installed, just show up to Troop I between 8am and noon.


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