South Carolina Department of Public Safety_______

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2008

CONTACTS: SID GAULDEN 803-600-8119

Or BEVERLY HARRIS, 803-896-9958

SCDPS EMPHASIZES USE OF CHILD SAFETY SEATS

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) is urging all parents and caregivers to make sure their children’s safety seats are properly installed – and parents will have many opportunities during Seat Check Saturday on September 20 and National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 21-27.

Nationally, motor vehicle crashes remain the number one killer of children ages 4 to 14.

South Carolina has a booster seat provision in its safety belt law. To help inform parents of the law and to protect young lives, SCDPS is distributing educational literature as part of the national campaign. SCDPS’ Office of Highway Safety is providing pediatricians’ offices and child seat fitting stations across the state with informational cards for parents. In addition, Community Relations Officers from the agency’s Highway Patrol will attend various events throughout the state to talk to the public and hand out safety materials.

In the Columbia area, the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control is spearheading a Seat Check Saturday event scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. September 20, 2008 at Babies R Us, 254 Harbison Blvd. Parents should contact safety seat fitting stations in their communities for information on activities in their areas. A list of fitting stations may be found at www.buckleupsc.com.

“Parents and other drivers responsible for transporting children need to know the facts to ensure that all children travel safely on our roadways every day,” said Phil Riley, Director of the Office of Highway Safety of SCDPS.  “While Child Passenger Safety Week puts a spotlight on this important issue, parents need to know that they can get help any time of year.”

Child safety seat fitting stations are located statewide – many at fire departments and Safe Kids coalitions – to provide assistance by certified safety seat technicians. No citations are issued at the checks, but parents must bring children to ensure seats are fitted properly.

For maximum child passenger safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that parents and caregivers refer to the following “4 Steps for Kids” guidelines for determining which restraint system is best suited to protect children based on age and size:

• For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds.

• When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).

• Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4’9” tall).

• When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age 8 or when they are 4’9” tall) they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat, if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).

NHTSA recommends that all children under 12 ride in the back seat.

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