Department of Motor Vehicles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 2, 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 DURING JANUARY

Free Inspections Offered in Dutchess, Livingston, Niagara, Suffolk and Saratoga 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 car seat inspections are available to parents and caregivers during the month of January throughout the state. As part of a yearlong safety initiative, state and local law enforcement agencies, together with various community safety partners, are offering free inspections by certified child passenger safety technicians.

DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “I encourage parents and caregivers to take this opportunity to ensure that their child’s car seat is checked and properly installed. These free inspections are an easy but important step in protecting children year-round.”

These 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. 

The following car seat check events are scheduled across the state in January:

CAPITAL REGION

January 21                           Saratoga County
4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Clifton Park Halfmoon EMS
15 Crossing Blvd.
Clifton Park, NY 12065
Agency: New York State Police, Clifton Park Halfmoon EMS, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Contact Technical Sergeant Donald Fougere at 518-783-3258 or [email protected]

FINGER LAKES

January 18                           Livingston County
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Springwater Fire Department
8145 South Main Street
Springwater, NY 14560
Agency: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County
Contact: Jaime Johnson at (585) 991-5420

LONG ISLAND

January 11                           Suffolk County
8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
New York State Police- SP Farmingdale
7140 Republic Airport
East Farmingdale, NY 11735
Agency: New York State Police
Contact: Sgt. Jim Walters at (631) 756-3389 or [email protected]

January 18                           Suffolk County
8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
New York State Police- SP Farmingdale
7140 Republic Airport
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Agency: New York State Police
Contact: Sgt. Jim Walters at (631) 756-3389 or [email protected]

MID-HUDSON

January 9                             Dutchess County
4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Pawling Station 1 Firehouse
25 South Street
Pawling, NY 12564
Agency: New York State Police, Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, Pawling Fire Department
Contact: Sergeant Amy Anderson at (845) 677-7334 or [email protected]; Deputy Joseph Wasilewski at (845) 486-3800 or [email protected]

WESTERN NEW YORK

January 8                             Niagara County
4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Niagara County Public Safety Training Facility
5574 Niagara St. Ext.
Lockport, NY 14094
Agency: Niagara County Sheriff's Office of Traffic Safety
Contact: Cathleen Davis at (716) 438-3464

If you cannot attend one of the listed free car seat check events, 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 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 and Twitter.

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

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