Henry County Public Health offers free car seat checks

MT. PLEASANT — It’s Child Passenger Safety Week and Henry County Public Health wants to help make sure your children are safe. HCPH has a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) on staff who can check car seats, let caregivers know if their children are in the right seats for their ages and sizes, and show them how to install the right seats correctly. Call 319-385-0779 to make an appointment with April Riley.

“Unfortunately, there are many details parents may overlook or just don’t know about their car seats,” said CPST April Riley. “They think they’re protecting their kids, but almost half car seats are either the wrong seat for the child’s age and size, or the seats are installed incorrectly. That puts children at risk.”

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. Every day in 2022, an average of three children 14 and younger were killed in crashes, and another 429 were injured. Just like drivers check their vehicles’ oil and tires, everyone who drives children needs to check their car seats to make sure they’re appropriate for your child’s age and size.

When it comes to child passengers, there is a right seat for every age and developmental stage — from infants to teens. Whether it’s a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat installed with a tether, a booster seat, or a seat belt, a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can put parents’ minds at ease by discussing correct car seat selection and showing them how to correctly install that seat in their vehicle. Children should stay in each seat and position until they outgrow those limits, and it’s important for all children under 13 to ride in the back seat.

Call Henry County Public Health to schedule a free car seat check at 319-385-0779. Let’s work together to keep our children safe.