Press Release - 01-28-2019

DMV News

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2019

Contacts:
Tim O’Brien
[email protected]

 

NEW YORK STATE DMV AND THE GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCE FREE CHILD SEAT INSPECTIONS AND ASSISTANCE DURING FEBRUARY

Free Inspections Offered in Albany, Erie, Niagara and Suffolk Counties

Free Inspections by Appointment Offered Year-Round

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) today announced that free child seat inspections are available to parents and caregivers during the month of February in Albany, Erie, Niagara and Suffolk counties. As part of a year-long safety initiative, state and local law enforcement agencies, together with various community safety partners, are offering free inspections by certified child passenger safety technicians.

“These free inspections are part of a year-round, statewide public awareness and safety initiative to better protect our children when traveling,” said Terri Egan, DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner and Acting GTSC Chair. “Properly installed car seats can greatly reduce the risk of death or injury during a crash, so I urge parents to use this opportunity to make sure their children are properly buckled into their car seats before hitting the road.”

This campaign aims to ensure all parents and caregivers are properly trained to choose an appropriate seat for the child’s age and size, and that they know how to properly install the seat in the safest manner. Trained technicians will use the model of “Learn, Practice, and Explain” to educate each caregiver on how to select a child restraint that will fit their child, fit their vehicle and be used correctly every time. Getting safety information and car seat instructions to parents and caregivers is crucial to saving young lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger vehicles. 

The following child safety seat checks are scheduled across the state in February:

CAPITAL REGION

February 13             Child Safety Seat Check - Albany County
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
State Police Latham, 760 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110
Agency: New York State Police
Appointment Required
Contact: Trooper Donald Fougere at (518) 783-3258

LONG ISLAND

February 1                Child Safety Seat Check - Suffolk County
4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Blue Point Fire Department, 205 Blue Point Avenue, Blue Point, NY 11715
Agency: Town of Brookhaven Highway Department, Division of Traffic Safety
Appointment Required
Contact: Please Call at (631) 363-3770

WESTERN NEW YORK

February 2                Child Safety Seat Check - Erie County
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Catholic Health Administration and Training Center
144 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY 14203
Agency: Catholic Health of Buffalo, SafeKids of Western New York
Appointment Required
Contact: Health Connections at (716) 447-6205

February 2                Child Safety Seat Check - Niagara County
8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Mount Saint Mary's Hospital
5300 Military Road, Lewiston, NY 14092
Agency: Catholic Health of Buffalo, SafeKids of Western New York
Appointment Required
Contact: Health Connections at (716) 447-6205

If you cannot attend one of the listed free child car seat inspections, you can make an appointment with a child seat inspection site near you. The above schedule may be subject to changes. Find more information on upcoming child safety seat checks near you.  See ratings on all car seats.

In addition to car seat inspections, parents and caregivers can view a series of videos produced by NHSTA on proper installation of rear-facing and forward-facing car seats and booster seats. NHTSA also offers information on registering a child safety seat and finding the right car seat based a child’s age and size.

For more information about DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov, or follow the DMV conversation online at Facebook and Twitter.

For more information about GTSC, visit safeny.ny.gov, or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook and Twitter.

 

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