National Child Passenger Safety Week

Monday, September 14, 2009 | 03:44am

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Highway Patrol Cookeville District invites the public to attend a Child Restraint Device Safety (CRD) Checkpoint on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Fentress Co. Health Dept. in Jamestown, Tenn. The child passenger safety seat checkpoint will be conducted in conjunction with National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 12-18. State Troopers, who are certified restraint device technicians, will provide one-on-one instruction on how to properly restrain a child, as well as ensure car seats and booster seats are properly installed in motorists’ vehicles. All parents and caregivers of young children should know how to correctly install child safety seats.

WHO: THP Safety Education, Special Programs Lt. R.C. Christian, Sgt. Kent Norris,
Trp. Wendall Reagan, Trp. Allen England

WHAT: Child Restraint Device Safety Check

WHEN: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 9:00 a.m. to Noon

WHERE: Fentress County Health Dept., 240 Colonial Circle Suite B, Jamestown, Tenn.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children ages 2 to 14, due to the nonuse or improper use of child seats and seat belts. NHTSA also finds that the use of booster seats compared to the use of adult seatbelts alone lowers the risk of injury to children in crashes by 59 percent.

NHTSA’s research shows child safety seat use is at an all-time high for children under the age of one. Last year, 99 percent of children ages 0-12 months old were secured as were 92 percent of children ages 1-3 years old and 89 percent of 4-7 year-olds. The NHTSA research also indicated that three out of every four seats are used incorrectly. This includes errors in securing the child in the child seat and errors in attaching the child seat to the car. Some specific examples include using the wrong child restraint based on age and weight; incorrect installation of restraint to the vehicle seat; harness straps buckled too loosely; incorrect attachment of the vehicle safety belt to the child restraint and loose fit of seat belts across children in belt-positioning booster seats.

For more information click http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.TN.Gov/Safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.

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