More than 100 car seats inspected during four-hour safety event
Only three of 113 car seats checked at the event had been installed correctly, said Courtney Thomson, RN-NIC, community education outreach coordinator for Children’s & Women’s Hospital.
By Casandra Andrews
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More than 100 car seats were inspected on Nov. 6 by nationally certified technicians from Children’s & Women’s Hospital during a child safety event held at FOX 10 studios. Only three of 113 seats checked had been installed correctly, said Courtney Thomson, RN-NIC, community education outreach coordinator for the hospital.
Research shows that nearly half of all car seats are used incorrectly, which can reduce their effectiveness in protecting children during a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The free event offered parents and caregivers the opportunity to have their car seats inspected by the nationally trained technicians. The outreach event organized by Children's & Women's Hospital and the Safe Kids of South Alabama coalition provided inspections and a limited number of free car seat donations to those who needed them.
“The dedication of our USA Health car seat technician team makes this success possible,” Thomson said. “They work tirelessly throughout the year helping with events like this to serve the community. We are extremely grateful for the work they do to ensure the safety of the children in our community.”
Proper car seat installation is critical to keeping children safe in vehicles, said Thomson, who trains others on how to properly install safety seats for children of all ages.
One mom who brought her daughter to the event discovered that her child was too tall for her current car seat and needed to replace it with a booster seat. Hospital staff were able to provide her with a new seat that day.
“I love it,” the mom said. “She is safe. That’s the priority. She’ll be in a booster as long as necessary.”
Through Safe Kids of South Alabama, a coalition of Safe Kids Worldwide, USA Health car seat technicians perform car seat checks throughout the year in communities across Mobile County and beyond.
Events such as these help families gain peace of mind while promoting safe travel for the region’s youngest passengers. A grant made possible through State Farm's Good Neighbor program, and Safe Kids Worldwide has allowed the hospital to reach hundreds of people with education and car seat donations.
