MACON, MO - Saturday, April 15th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the MoDOT District Office, located at 1711 Highway 61 South in Hannibal, the Northeast Coalition for Roadway Safety will be hosting free child passenger safety seat checks.
"The wide range of makes and models of car seats on the market today has left more than a few parents confused," said Kathy Zents, a certified passenger seat technician trainer. Certified Child Passenger Technicians will provide on-site car seat checks or installations, and answer questions parents might have about appropriate child seat requirements.
"The Coalition is providing this free service to encourage parents and other caregivers to find out from experts how to protect their kids," Zents said. Car crashes are the number one killer of children. In 2015, four children less than eight years of age were killed and 61 suffered serious injuries as occupants in motor vehicle crashes in Missouri. Missouri's child safety seat survey revealed when drivers are not buckled up, 33 percent of children were not restrained either, but when the driver was buckled up, only 8 percent of the children weren't restrained.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that child safety seats reduce the risk of being killed in a car crash by 71 percent for an infant and by 54 percent for a toddler. This is why all 50 states have laws that require the use of child safety restraints. "We hope everyone with children stops by and takes advantage of the free check," said Zents. "We, as parents, have to continue to be role models for our children about safe driving habits, and it starts with teaching children when they are young about buckling up," she explained. "There is no room for mistakes when it comes to the safety of our children," she said.
Safety seats prevent serious injuries and could save your child's life. Missouri law requires all children under eight to be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat, unless they are at least 80 pounds or at least 4'9" tall.
Please visit saveMOlives.com to learn more. Buckle Up and Arrive Alive.