The City of Batavia Fire Department, will be offering free car seat inspections and education to parents and caregivers from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Fire Headquarters, located at 18 Evans St., by appointment only.
Please call (585) 345-6375 to schedule an appointment. This event is part of National Car Seat Check Saturday, and will include instruction on how to choose the right car seats for children, with an emphasis on how to install seats correctly.
Many parents and caregivers believe they know how to choose and use the correct restraint for their child, however these restraints are frequently used incorrectly. Car crashes are a leading killer of children, and the latest research from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that nearly two out of three car seats are misused or installed improperly.
On Nov. 1, New York State implemented a law requiring all children age 2 and under to be secured in a rear-facing car seat. It is recommended keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seats. It’s the best way to keep them safe.
Once a child outgrows the rear-facing seat, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether. After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, a child should ride in a booster seat until tall enough to fit in a seat belt properly. The safest place for a child under the age of 13 is in the back seat.
National Seat Check Saturday is part of Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs from Sept. 20-26. The week is dedicated to teaching caregivers and parents about the importance of correctly choosing, installing, and using car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.
Parents and caregivers will also be reminded of the importance of registering car seats with manufacturers so they can be notified in the event of a recall.
