9/15/2011

SAFE KIDS NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA PROUDLY SUPPORTS NATIONAL CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK

Each year, Child Passenger Safety Week (CPS) is celebrated across the country to remind parents and caregivers of the need to keep children of all ages properly restrained in the seat that meets their weight and height requirements. Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be present in Alachua County on September 19th and 29th to ensure that families are using the right restraint whether it is a car seat, booster seat or seat belt.

“All it takes is following a few basic guidelines so parents and caregivers can determine which restraint system is best suited to protect their children in a vehicle.” said Debora Fulton, Safe Kids Director.

Unfortunately, car crashes remain the leading cause of death for children ages 3-14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In efforts to reduce this, Safe Kids USA’s multifaceted child passenger safety program – Safe Kids Buckle Up (SKBU) – has been working diligently for the last 14 years. By inspecting 1.4 million car seats; holding 65,000 car seat checkup events; and donating close to 500,000 car seats to families in need, Safe Kids Buckle Up has reached more than 21 million people through events and community outreach efforts.

Safe Kids North Central Florida is hosting several car seat stations in the 8 counties we serve. In addition, local safety events and Mother-Baby Prenatal classes are also being conducted. Please be sure to check our website for locations in your area. “This is a great time for you and your family to make sure that your child safety seat is installed correctly and to learn when it is time to from one seat to another based on your child’s age, weight and height,” states Doctor Morya Willis, CPS Educator for Shands Safe Kids.

Safe Kids operates monthly car seat stations in all 8 counties we serve in North Central Florida. Our website lists all the stations and locations that are available. You can visit our website at: shandssafekids.org