Governor's Traffic Safety Committee Reminds New Yorkers of Free Car Seat Checks During National Seat Check Saturday
Events Part of Child Passenger Safety Week
Free Car Seat Fittings Offered at Locations Statewide
Car Seat Checks Help to Ensure a Correct Fit and Proper Installation
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee today reminded parents and caregivers that free car seat checks by certified child passenger safety technicians are available statewide during Child Passenger Safety Week. This national safety awareness week, which begins Sunday, September 21, will conclude with 23 coordinated statewide events on Saturday, September 27 as part of National Seat Check Saturday.
New York State currently has 2,082 certified technicians and 102 instructors throughout the state who are capable of installing car seats and educating caregivers on proper installation of seats. Additionally, nearly 20 CPS technicians will complete the certification process in Albany County on National Seat Check Saturday.
NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “Child Passenger Safety Technicians can help parents and caregivers determine which seat is correct for their children, show them how to correctly install that seat in their vehicle and most importantly, ease their minds in just a few minutes by conducting the inspection. GTSC is proud to support state, local and not-for-profit agencies in offering free car seat inspections at permanent fitting stations and check events throughout the state.”
The events are part of an ongoing initiative funded by the GTSC in which various community partners offer free car seat fittings. The car seat check events will teach participants how to choose an appropriate seat for the child's age and size and how to install the seat correctly. Trained technicians use the model of "Learn, Practice, and Explain" to educate caregivers on how to select a child restraint that will fit their child, fit their vehicle, and be used correctly every time.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around half (46 percent) of car seats are installed incorrectly, yet most parents and caregivers believe they have been installed properly. In addition, vehicle crashes remain one of the leading causes of death among children. Every day in 2023, an average of two children under 14 were killed in crashes, and another 345 were injured in traffic crashes while riding in passenger vehicles.
The following are the events by region scheduled on National Seat Check Saturday, September 27:
CAPITAL REGION
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Walmart Supercenter, 460 Fairview Avenue, Greenport.
When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Crossgates Mall Overflow Lot (near JCPenney) 1 Crossgates Mall Road, Guilderland
CENTRAL NEW YORK
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Christian Assembly of God, 175 Port Watson Street, Cortland
FINGER LAKES
When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Gates Fire District, 2355 Chili Avenue, Rochester
When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Caledonia Fire Department, 3095 Main Street, Caledonia
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Newark Fire Department, 150 East Miller Street, Newark
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Orleans County Public Safety Building,13925 State Route 31, Albion
When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Dresden FD Touch-a-Truck Event, 89 Main Street, Dresden
When: 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Delta Sonic Car Wash,1840 Empire Blvd, Webster
HUDSON VALLEY
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: White Plains City Hall, 255 Main Street, White Plains
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Harbor Island Park,1 Harbor Island Park, Mamaroneck
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Orangeburg Fire Department, 61 Dutch Hill Road, Orangeburg
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Minisink Hook & Ladder, 99 N Church Street, Goshen
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Pike Street Port Jervis, Pike Street (near intersection King Street), Port Jervis
When: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Powerhouse Park, 57 Powerhouse Lane, Tuxedo
LONG ISLAND
When: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Brookhaven Safety Town, 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville
When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Walt Whitman Shops, 160 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station
MOHAWK VALLEY
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, 200 Clark Drive, Fultonville
SOUTHERN TIER
When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Visions Federal Credit Union, 5411 State Highway 12, Norwich
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Endicott Fire Department, 224 Madison Avenue, Endicott
WESTERN NEW YORK
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: North Bailey Fire Company, 966 Sweet Home Road, Amherst
When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Championship Martial Arts 716, 3173 Eggert Road, Tonawanda
When: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Sisters Hospital St. Joseph's Campus, 2605 Harlem Road, Cheektowaga
Parents and caregivers can visit the GTSC website to find free Child Passenger Safety Week car seat check events in their region, or they can make an appointment at a year-round regional car seat fitting site.
Learn more about GTSC, and follow the GTSC conversation on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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