Free child car seat inspections offered

AAA: three out of four car seats installed incorrectly

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Safe Kids Northeast Florida, led by THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children's Hospital, urges parents and caregivers to make sure their car seats and booster seats are properly installed during Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 14-20.

Certified child passenger safety technicians will be available to provide hands-on instruction on installing car and booster seats at locations throughout Northeast Florida.

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"Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent," said Cynthia Dennis, RN, Safe Kids Northeast Florida. "We want all parents to make sure their car seats are used and installed correctly and that the whole family is buckled up every time on every ride. And we're here to help."

In Northeast Florida, Safe Kids will host free child safety seat inspections at the following locations:

  • Mon., Sept. 15 Ron Anderson GM Yulee 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Thurs., Sept. 18 Wal-Mart Super Center Palatka 4 - 6 pm
  • St. Johns County Ocean Pier St. Augustine 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
  • Fri., Sept. 19 Baptist Clay Medical Campus Fleming Island 10 a.m. - Noon
  • Sat., Sept. 20 Jax Beach Fire Dept. Station 2 Jax Beach 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
  • THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health Jacksonville 10 a.m. - Noon

You can also make an appointment for a free child safety seat inspection by calling 904-202-4302.

Car seat installations have become an increasing problem. According to a AAA survey, three out of four car seats today are installed incorrectly.

"Too often, we see kids who are in a car seat that's installed incorrectly or not using an age-appropriate booster seat. As we recognize Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 14-20, it's a timely reminder to be sure children are safe and secure in the right seat for them," said Michele Harris, director of traffic safety culture, AAA – The Auto Club Group.

According to AAA, one of the most frequent car seat mistakes is the positioning of harness straps. If straps are too loose, children will not be properly restrained in the event of a crash. This may subject them to higher crash forces, or even ejection from the seat altogether. Harness straps should lie flat and not have any twists. The harness should be snug enough that you cannot pinch any extra material at the child's shoulder.

With schools back in session, carpooling among parents increases, which can result in situations where children are not riding in a car seat or booster seat. A recent AAA Consumer Pulse survey found that 45-percent of people surveyed in Florida agree it's difficult to make arrangements to have booster seats available for other people's children.

The use of booster seats can reduce injuries by 45-percent compared to using an adult safety belt alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Children who have outgrown their five-point harness car seat by weight or height should use a booster seat until they reach 4'9'', typically between the ages of 8-12.

Car seat inspections offer drivers the chance to receive assistance and guidance from certified car seat technicians regarding proper installation of their child safety and booster seats. Safe Kids Buckle Up events continue throughout the year.

A new law will take effect beginning Jan. 1, 2015, when every driver in Florida will be required to use a child restraint device for children until age 6.