National Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs from September 15 through September 21, is a time for parents to have their car seats inspected for free by trained professionals. National Seat Check Saturday is on September 21.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. Every 32 seconds in 2017, one child under the age of 13 in a passenger vehicle was involved in a crash. Over one-third (35%) of those children were not restrained in car seats, booster seats, or seat belts.
In passenger cars, child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers. The best protection for all vehicle occupants is to ensure that everyone is properly restrained using age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, or seat belts.
Motorists are reminded that Pennsylvania’s primary seat-belt law requires any occupant younger than 18 to buckle up when riding in a vehicle. Children under the age of two must be secured in a rear-facing car seat, and children under the age of four must be restrained in an approved child safety seat. Children must ride in a booster seat until their eighth birthday.
Drivers and front-seat passengers 18 years-old or older are also required to buckle up. If motorists are stopped for a traffic violation and are not wearing their seat belt, they can receive a second ticket and second fine.
Motor vehicle crashes remains the leading killer of children. Using a car seat that is age and size-appropriate is the best way to keep a child safe.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2017, 312 children under the age of 5 were saved because they were using restraints.
Several Child passenger safety seat checkups are scheduled this week to offer parents and other caregivers the chance to ask questions about child passenger safety and have seats checked for proper installation.
- MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2019
TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
LOCATION: GIANT Food Stores
12 Newport Plaza, Newport
- MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2019
TIME: 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Southern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services
5865 Hanover Rd, Hanover
- MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2019
TIME: 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Greene Township Municipal Park
996 Elevator St., Chambersburg
- TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019
TIME: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
LOCATION: PA State Police (Loganville Barracks)
101 N. Main St., York
- TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019
TIME: 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Women’s and Babies Hospital
690 Good Drive, Lancaster
- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2019
TIME: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Walmart Supercenter
50 Newberry Parkway, Etters
- THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Kohl's Department Store
5125 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg
- THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
TIME: 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Walmart
100 North Londonderry Square, Palmyra
- FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Lehman Volvo Cars of York
950 North Hill Rd., York
- SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2019
TIME: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Thornton Chevrolet
180 S. Main St., Manchester
- SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2019
TIME: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Texas Roadhouse
2317 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
- SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2019
TIME: 2:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Walmart
200 Kocher Lane, Elizabethville
- SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2019
TIME: 2:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: GIANT Food Stores
925 Norland Ave., Chambersburg
In Pennsylvania, the driver is responsible for securing children in the appropriate child restraint system. Children under the age of two must be secured in a rear-facing car seat, and children under the age of four must be restrained in an approved child safety seat. Children must ride in a booster seat until their eighth birthday.
Pennsylvania law requires any occupant younger than 18 to buckle up when riding in a vehicle, as well as drivers and front-seat passengers. Additionally, all drivers under 18 years of age may not operate a motor vehicle in which the number of passengers exceeds the number of available seat belts in the vehicle.
If you are unable to afford a car seat, call 1-800-CAR-BELT or visit http://www.pakidstravelsafe.org to find the nearest car seat loan program.
For more information on how to keep passengers safe, call Safe Kids York County at 1-888-232-7233 or the Center for Traffic Safety at 717-840-2330 or 1-800-955-7233.