Parents and guardians have an opportunity to make sure their kids are traveling safe thanks to a car seat check event being held at Melham Medical Center on Tuesday afternoon. From 3 PM to 6 PM, visitors are invited to the ER bay at the hospital for the free event.
The numbers surrounding car seat safety and the lack thereof are shocking. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, child safety seats that are used correctly can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent. However, more than half of car seats are not used or installed correctly.
Many problems surrounding car seat safety have to do with having children in the appropriate seat for their age and size. All children need to be buckled in the back seat until age 13. Rear-facing seats are generally appropriate from birth until age 2 to 4. Forward-facing car seats are suggested until age 5. Booster seats and proper seat belt fit usually occurs when children are age 9 through 12.
Those who attend Tuesday afternoon’s event in Broken Bow can gain important information about car seats, their installation, and their use.
Top tips about car seat safety from Safe Kids Worldwide:
- Buying the right car seat
- Installing your car seat. The seat belt and lower anchors are both safe, but shouldn’t be used at the same time.
- Getting the right fit
- When to change your car seat. Check on the car seat label to make sure your child is still within the weight, height, and age limits for that seat.
