March 29, 2006

By: Krista Hopson
Website: http://www.1st-in-babies.com

SAFE KIDS Washtenaw Co. Offers Free Car Seat Inspections

Safe Kids Washtenaw County is holding free car seat inspections Saturday, March 11 at Prestige Pontiac, Buick, GMC in Ypsilanti. Nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will perform inspections and train parents and caregivers to install and adjust their car seats properly.

“Think of it as a private lesson in the correct use of your car seat,” says Jennifer McIntosh, Safe Kids Washtenaw County coordinator.

Safe Kids Washtenaw County is one of more than 300 coalitions across the country providing these services as part of the Safe Kids Buckle Up® program. Since 1996, Safe Kids Buckle Up® has inspected more than 600,000 car seats at more than 15,000 events and provided hands-on training to more than 9 million parents and caregivers.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading killer of children under 14. “All children should be restrained in an appropriate car seat — whether in the family car, traveling with friends or relatives, or in a rental car or taxi,” McIntosh says. Properly used, a car seat reduces the risk of death by 71 percent for rear-facing infants and 54 percent for forward-facing toddlers; a booster seat reduces the risk of death by 59 percent for children ages 4 to 8.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 73 percent of all child passenger restraints — more than 80 percent of car seats and about 40 percent of booster seats — are used incorrectly. “It’s a parent’s responsibility to make sure a child’s car seat is properly installed and adjusted. We’re here to show you how,” McIntosh says.

Prestige Pontiac Buick GMC is located at 444 James L Hart Parkway in Ypsilanti. Inspections will be held from10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on a drop-in basis. A Spanish-speaking technician is available.

Safe Kids Washtenaw County provides car seat inspections throughout the year as well. To find a future car seat inspection or schedule an appointment, call the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital’s Buckle Up! Hotline at 734-763-2251 or visit www.safekids.org. An inspection is free and usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. Bring your child and the owner’s manuals for your vehicle and your car seat.

Safe Kids Washtenaw County works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading killer of children 14 and under. Safe Kids Washtenaw County is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury. Safe Kids Washtenaw County is led by U-M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

Safe Kids Buckle Up® is a national program developed by Safe Kids Worldwide and sponsored by Chevrolet and General Motors to educate parents and caregivers about the importance of properly restraining children on every ride.

Also See: baby car seat.

About The Author:

Krista Hopson is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-babies.com.  Baby products, clothes, cribs, bedding, strollers & more reviews, information and technical advancements for the concerned consumer.