Department of Motor Vehicles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Contacts:
Lisa Koumjian
[email protected]

Tim O’Brien
[email protected]

GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES FREE CAR SEAT CHECKS AVAILABLE DURING CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK

Free Car Seat Fittings Offered at Nearly Two Dozen Locations Statewide

Car Seat Checks Help to Ensure Safety Seats Fit Correctly and Are Installed Properly

Free Fittings Offered by Appointment Year-Round

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) today announced that during Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs through September 26, 2020, free child car seat checks by certified child passenger safety technicians will be available across the state. Child Passenger Safety Week concludes with National Seat Check Saturday on September 26. 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 fittings. The sponsoring agencies will be following safety guidelines to protect the health and safety of the technicians and the public.

DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “Our children are some of the most vulnerable passengers in a motor vehicle, so we stress the importance of always having them secured in the appropriately sized, properly installed car seats. While most parents believe their children’s seats are correctly installed, nearly 60 percent are found to be installed incorrectly, which is why these seat checks are so vital. I urge all parents and caregivers to take the time to ensure their children are as safe as possible on the road.”

Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for children. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), from 2014 to 2018, there were 3,315 children younger than 13 killed while riding in passenger vehicles. In 2018 alone, a child under the age of 13 was involved in a passenger vehicle crash every 32 seconds. That same year, about one-third of the children (younger than 13) who were killed in passenger vehicle crashes nationwide were not restrained in car seats, booster seats, or seat belts.

Getting safety information and providing hands-on instruction to parents and caregivers is crucial to saving young lives. According to NHTSA, when used correctly, car 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 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.

CAPITAL REGION

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Center Brunswick Fire Department, 1045 Hoosick Road, Troy
Appointment required
Contact: Technical Sergeant Donald Fougere at (518) 783-3258 or [email protected]

When: Saturday, September 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Crossgates Mall, overflow lot by Western Avenue, 1 Crossgates Mall Road, Guilderland
Contact: William Van Alstyne at (518) 765-2565 or [email protected]

CENTRAL NEW YORK

When: Tuesday, September 22, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Madison County Complex parking lot, Wampsville
Appointment required
Contact: Madison County Health Department at (315) 366-2361
Additional Safety Information: Face masks are required.

When: Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Summit Federal Credit Union, 130 Township Blvd., Camillus
Contact: Detective Sergeant M. Schreyer at (315) 487-0102

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Menter Ambulance Fulton Location, 404 Ontario Street, Fulton
Appointment required
Contact: Kyle Boeckmann at (315) 343-2344 ext. 22 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: Please allow 30-45 minutes for a proper check. All persons must wear a mask, have temperature taken, and answer COVID questions to ensure safety for all.

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Minoa Fire Department, 7036 Manlius Center Road, East Syracuse
Contact: Captain Slater at (315) 682-2212 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: This event will be limited to eight available half-hour time slots in order to be as socially distant as possible. Walk-ins are still welcome but may be asked to wait due to social distancing measures.

FINGER LAKES

When: Thursday, September 24, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Attica Police Department, 43 Exchange Street, Attica
Appointment required
Contact: Officer Stephanie Ingles at (585) 591-0881 or [email protected]

When: Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Save-A-Lot parking lot, 320 West Avenue, Albion
Contact: Officer Daniel Baase at (585) 589-5627 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: All persons attending the event must wear a mask unless they have an underlying health condition that prevents them from doing so. Social distance must be maintained when practicable.

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Noyes Hospital, 111 Clara Barton Street, Dansville
Contact: Barbara Sturm, at (585) 991-5420 or [email protected]

When: Saturday, September 26, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Yummies Ice Cream, 12 Center Street, Warsaw
Contact: Jillian Calmes at (585) 786-8890 or [email protected]

When: Saturday, September 26, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Where: St. Agnes School, 60 Park Place, Avon
Contact: Jamie Johnson, Child Passenger Safety Technician, at (585) 991-5420 or (585) 447-0075

HUDSON VALLEY

When: Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: New York State Police Troop K Headquarters, 2541 Route 44, Salt Point
Appointment required
Contact: Sergeant Amy Anderson at (845) 677-7334 or [email protected]

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: New York State Police, 55 Crystal Run Road, Middletown
Appointments required
Contact: Technical Sergeant Michael Belgiovene at (845) 346-3566 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: Please call for an appointment and COVID-19 pre-screening. No walk-ins will be accepted.

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Port Jervis Middle School, 118 E. Main Street, Port Jervis
Appointments are suggested
Contact: Kecia Healy at (845) 800-4945 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: Masks are required for everyone over age two.

When: Saturday, September 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: Mid Hudson Plaza - Poughkeepsie Home Depot, 3470 North Road (across from Marist College), Poughkeepsie
Contact: William Johnson at (845) 486-3602 or [email protected]

When: Saturday, September 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Town of Fishkill Police Department, #801 Route 52, Fishkill
Contact: William Johnson at (845) 486-3602 or [email protected]

LONG ISLAND

When: Saturday, September 26, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Setauket Fire Department, Station 2, 9 Arrowhead Lane, Setauket
Appointment required
Contact: Kristen D'Andrea at (631) 363-3770 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: Technicians will wear masks and gloves; social distancing guidelines will be followed with designated safe zones. No walk-ins will be allowed.

When: Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: New York State Police Troop L Headquarters, 7140 Republic Airport, East Farmingdale
Appointment required
Contact: Sergeant Jim Walters at (631) 756-3389 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: Health screen and face covering are required.

NORTH COUNTRY

When: Thursday, September 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: New York State Police, 25873 State Route 37, Watertown
Appointment required
Contact: Zone Sergeant Jeff Rose at (315) 782-3849 or [email protected]

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Morrisonville EMS, 21 Banker Road, Morrisonville
Appointment required
Contact: Anika Craig at (518) 565-4397
Additional Safety Information: Face covering/mask is required for everyone over age two.

SOUTHERN TIER

When: Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Endicott Fire Department, 224 Madison Avenue, Endicott
Appointment required
Contact: Christine Muss at (607) 778-2807 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: All CDC guidelines will be following, which includes wearing a mask and appropriate PPE, hand sanitizing, and social distancing. No walk-ins allowed.

When: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Public Safety Building, 7007 Rumsey Street Extension, Bath
Contact: Hillory Stephens at (607) 622-3901 or [email protected]
Additional Safety Information: All Participants must wear a mask for their entire check. Please limit the number of riders in each vehicle to children needing seats checked and one guardian.

If you cannot attend one of these free car seat check events, you can make an appointment with a child seat fitting 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 fittings, 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 car seat and finding the right car seat based a child’s age and size.

Last year, a new law took effect requiring any child under the age of two to be in a rear-facing car seat. If a child outgrows an infant-only seat before reaching their second birthday, it is recommended that a convertible or all-in-one car seat with higher rear-facing height and weight limits be used. These seats should be installed in the rear-facing position until the child reaches the rear-facing weight or height limit set by the car seat manufacturer. NHTSA reports that rear-facing seats are the best option for a young child because they are equipped with a harness and, in a crash, cradle and move with the child to reduce the stress to the child's neck and spine.

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