Is Your Child Safe In the Car? – Check It Out!

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (http://www.nhtsa.gov), over 70 percent of children are riding unsafely in vehicles. While caregivers may care a great deal about children’s safety, many of them are not aware that they are critically misusing car seats and seat belts – defined as a misuse that could increase the risk of injury in a crash. The EscaRosa Community Traffic Safety Team is offering a car seat checkpoint to help caregivers make sure their children are riding safely in the car. The event will be held at Pace Christian Academy on Hwy. 90 on Tuesday, September 15, from 4-6 p.m. Caregivers are invited to drop in for a thorough safety check that should take approximately 15 minutes.

Over the years the use of car seats has greatly reduced childhood injuries and deaths but the seats can be difficult to install and they are commonly misused. The most common types of misuse are loose or unlocked seat belts, loose harness straps and using the wrong type of seat for the child’s age and weight. At the checkpoint, nationally certified child passenger safety technicians from several local agencies including the University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Pace Fire and Rescue District will offer a free inspection to caregivers, ensuring that each child is safely restrained in the vehicle. Each parent will also receive helpful information and each child will receive a free gift!

For more information contact Ginny Hinton at 850-623-3868.

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