BLACKSTONE — Chief Gregory Gilmore is pleased to share that the Blackstone Police Department will host a car seat safety check event for parents and caregivers this week.
WHEN
Friday, July 15, from 9 – 11 a.m.
WHERE
Park & Shop Plaza, 2 Main St.
WHAT
The Blackstone Police Department is hosting the event in an effort to raise awareness about properly sized and correctly installed car seats. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 46% of children’s car seats are misused, which can impact their effectiveness.
At the event, community members will have the opportunity to have their car seats checked by the department’s Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians, Officers Joseph Niemczyk and David Laudon.
The officers will help determine if a car seat is appropriate for the child’s age and size, and will ensure that the seat is properly installed. They will also be able to assist new parents with the initial installation of a car seat, and can answer questions about child safety seats.
The event is free to attend. No appointment or pre-registration is required.
“We encourage parents and caregivers in the community to come have their car seats inspected and ensure they are installed in the correct way,” Chief Gilmore said. “Car seats are one of the most important ways to keep children safe and significantly reduce the risk of serious injury in a crash.”
Under Massachusetts law, all children riding in passenger vehicles must be in a federally approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured according to the manufacturer’s instructions until they are eight years old or over 57 inches tall.
It is also recommended that all car seats are registered with their manufacturers in case of a safety recall. This step will help ensure that you will be notified if a defect is discovered with your car seat so it can be repaired or replaced to keep your child safe.
Additional information on child safety seats can be found at nhtsa.gov.
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