Media outlets reported that twenty-five children participated in a car safety seat checkup event that was sponsored by Head Start and the Jamestown Regional Medical Center.
During the checkup, certified child passenger safety technicians helped parents properly install car seats and safely secure their children in the seats. Technicians reviewed labels on the seats to make sure the restraint was appropriate for the child’s age, weight and height, while also checking for recalls and expiration dates.
Of the twenty-five seats checked, twenty-one had at least one error in use. The certified child passenger safety technicians provided the results of the checkup.
Parents and caregivers do a good job of installing the car seats tightly in their vehicles. Only seven of the seats were installed too loosely. However, many of the seats had other installation errors like the incorrect use of the lower anchors and tethers. Sixteen car seats had errors related to how the child was secured in the restraint, like the harness straps not being snug over the child. Two car seats had previously been in a crash or the history of the seat was unknown. One seat was expired. Car seats shouldn’t be used if they’ve been in a crash or are over six-years-old.
Child Passenger Safety Program director Dawn Mayer said, “There are many different types of car seats and vehicles and it can be confusing to use car seats correctly. Parents should check the labels for weight and height limits and they should read the car seat instructions and vehicle owner’s manual for information on lower anchors, tether anchors, air bags and how their seat belts work.”
As a Florence car accident lawyer , I’ve seen the results of improperly secured car seats in car accidents and hope that this information is useful in ensuring the safety of the children in our community. If you’ve been involved in an accident that you feel was the result of another’s negligence, speak with a car accident lawyer in your city.