Department of Motor Vehicles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 28, 2020

Contacts:
Lisa Koumjian
[email protected]

Tim O’Brien
[email protected]

NEW YORK STATE DMV AND THE GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCE FREE CHILD SEAT INSPECTIONS AND ASSISTANCE IN SUFFOLK COUNTY

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 car seat inspections by certified child passenger safety technicians are available to parents and caregivers in Suffolk County tomorrow, February 29, and on Thursday, March 5. The events are part of a yearlong safety initiative in which state and local law enforcement agencies, together with various community safety partners, offer free inspections.

DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “Free child seat inspections are a convenient and invaluable resource to help parents and caregivers ensure that they are using their car seats and booster seats correctly. Research has shown that properly installed child restraints are one of the most effective tools for keeping our children safe when they are traveling in a motor vehicle.”

Event Details:

            When: Saturday, February 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
            Where: Mastic Ambulance Company, 1630 Montauk Highway, Mastic.
            *For more information, contact Angela Brockmann at (631) 648-7100 x219 or
            [email protected].

            When: Thursday, March 5 from 4p.m. to 8 p.m.
            Where: Holtsville Fire Department, 1025 Waverly Ave., Holtsville.
            *For more information, contact Brookhaven Safety Town Facility at (631) 363-3770 or
            [email protected]. 

The car seat inspection events aim to ensure all parents and caregivers understand how to choose an appropriate seat for the child’s age and size and how to install the seat correctly. Trained technicians will 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.

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. 

If you cannot attend the free car seat check events tomorrow or Thursday, you can make an appointment with a child seat inspection site near you. Find more information on upcoming car seat check events 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 DMV on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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

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