Atchison County Health Department has announced that certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be offering free car seat safety checks and education to parents and caregivers Monday, September 19, through Thursday, September 22, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Atchison County Health Department, 421 Main Street, Tarkio, Missouri.

Every year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-ministration partners with local communities to hold Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs this year from September 18-24. Technicians will help determine if your children are in the right seats for their ages and sizes and explain the importance of registering car seats with the manufacturers so you can be notified if there is a recall.

“Most parents think their kids are in the right seats and that the seats are installed the right way,” said Courtney Rainey, Atchison County Health Department Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, “but the reality is that nearly half of car seats are installed incorrectly, leaving kids vulnerable to injury in a crash. National Seat Check Week is an opportunity for parents to make sure their children are safe in their car seats and booster seats.” Sadly, two children under 13 were killed every day in 2020 while riding in vehicles, and another 278 were injured. “Don’t wait for a crash to happen to find out if your child’s seat is installed correctly. At that point, it’s too late to check,” Courtney added. “Let an expert check for you so you can have that peace of mind.”

Booster seats are a critical step between harness car seats and adult seat belts. If the seat belt doesn’t fit your child correctly, it won’t offer them the optimal protection in a crash.

One of the most common mistakes parents and caregivers make with car seats is moving their children to the next seat or position too soon. Keep children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height and weight allowed by their particular seats. Once a child outgrows a rear-facing car seat, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether. The tether is 100% essential for installing a forward-facing car seat; it keeps the seat from moving forward in a crash. After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, a child should be buckled in a booster seat until tall enough to fit in an adult seat belt properly. Children might ask to ditch the booster seat because it makes them feel older to ride without it, but the truth is: their safety is what matters most. Once your child is ready to use a seat belt, ensure that it fits correctly, and remember that the safest place for all kids under 13 is buckled up in the back seat.

For more information on child car seat safety, as well as how to find other car seat check events, go to www.nhtsa.gov/therightseat.