Experts suggest as many as three out of four car seats are improperly installed. As was the case seen above in 2013, local law enforcement officials plan to help make sure those seats are safe, at an event Saturday in Phoenixville.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan announced that the Safe Kids Chester County Coalition is sponsoring a National Seat Check Saturday event to be held on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., located at Kelly Chevrolet, 600 Nutt Road, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Certified child passenger safety technicians will be on-site to install and inspect each seat for a safe fit and answer any questions parents and caregivers have about best practices when traveling in a vehicle. The Philly Phanatic will be on hand to keep the kids entertained.
“We are all committed to keeping the children of Chester County safe,” Hogan said. “If this program saves the life of one child, it will be a success. But law enforcement will not be satisfied until we are keeping all of our kids safe.”
Parents should be alerted that three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly. Most children are riding at risk of severe head, abdominal, and spinal cord injuries from a crash. All children 12 and under should ride properly restrained in the back seat. Children from birth to age 4 must be secured in an approved car seat. Children from age 4 to age 8 must be secured in a car seat that is appropriate for their height and weight or in a belt-positioning booster seat.
“Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers,” said Lori Aguilera, Safe Kids Chester County. “Engineers are working hard to ensure cars and car seats are designed to keep kids as safe as possible. But it’s up to every parent to take full advantage of these innovations by making sure car seats are used and installed correctly. Safe Kids and the General Motors Foundation are teaming up to show them how.”
Safe Kids Chester County, the sponsor of the program, is an organization administered by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. Safe Kids Chester County is a broad-based, structured community coalition which seeks to reduce and prevent accidental childhood injuries and deaths to children 14 and under through a multifaceted strategy of public awareness, education, public policy advocacy, and community action in Chester County.
Kelly Chevrolet is hosting the event. Police officers from the following departments have volunteered as car seat safety technicians: Coatesville, Phoenixville, and West Whiteland. In addition, members of the Chester County Sheriff’s Office, Paoli Hospital, and New York Life will participate.
