ISP FREE Car Seat Safety Event

Prince Roy / CC

Child Safety Seat Check Event

EFFINGHAM – Every day in America, too many children are riding in the wrong car seats or completely unrestrained. To help combat the issue, the Illinois State Police (ISP) in District 12 announced today that it will conduct a car seat safety event surrounding National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 15^th through 21^st.  ISP will have certified child passenger safety technicians on hand from 10a.m. – 2p.m. at Hendelmeyer Park in Effingham (1906 S. 4^th St.) to check car seats for proper installation and provide parents and caregivers tips on how to choose the correct car seats and install them properly in their vehicles. This event, held on Wednesday, September 18^th, is one of 101 car seat checks scheduled during the week in Illinois.

“By attending our car seat event on Wednesday, September 18^th, parents and caregivers can gain knowledge to be sure their kids are riding as safely as possible in the vehicle, in case a collision occurs” said ISP District 12 Commander, Captain Cory Ristvedt.  “Even if kids are in the right seat, sometimes they’re not buckled correctly or the seat isn’t installed in the vehicle properly. Common mistakes can present the greatest dangers, he added.”

This year, Illinois events will focus on educating parents on the dangers of these eight common mistakes:

1. Turning the child forward-facing too soon
2. Using the wrong LATCH lower anchors or both the LATCH and seat belt systems
3. Not using a locked seat belt to secure the car seat
4. Not adjusting the harness snugly against the child
5. Not using the top tether on a forward-facing car seat
6. Moving to a booster seat before the harness weight limit is reached
7. Moving from a booster seat to seat belt based on age instead of proper belt fit
8. Not registering the car seat or labeling it with emergency contact information

New Illinois law effective January 1, 2019:  Children under the age of two (2) must ride rear-facing. 

For more information on child passenger safety, visit www.nhtsa.gov or www.buckleupillinois.org.