Press Release - 10-09-2020

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 9, 2020

 

GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES FREE CHILD SEAT INSPECTIONS AND ASSISTANCE IN SUFFOLK COUNTY

Free Inspections by Appointment Offered Year-Round

 

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) today reminded parents and caregivers in Suffolk County that free car seat inspections by certified child passenger safety technicians are available by appointment on Sunday, October 11, and on Saturday, October 17. 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.

Both events will be at the New York State Police Farmingdale, 7140 Republic Airport, East Farmingdale, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Sergeant James Walters at (631) 756-3389 or [email protected]. Appointments are required. The sponsoring agency, the New York State Police, 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, “Child safety seats offer the best protection for children traveling in a motor vehicle, but they have to be used properly to be effective. These events give parents and caregivers an opportunity to make sure that your child is secure in a car seat that fits them and is installed correctly.”

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.

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 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 these free car seat check events, 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 GTSC, visit trafficsafety.ny.gov, or follow GTSC on Facebook and Twitter.

 

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