By Clay LePard
clepard@cbs4qc.com
A car seat can save your child's life, but only if you use it the right way. Across the nation, it's Seat Check Saturday.
Here in the Quad Cities, parents came out to the Rock Island Fire Department to learn some tips and tricks to keeping their children safe.
Organizers say that 98% of the car seats they see are being used incorrectly.
"Either the harness straps are in the wrong place, the seat is too loose," says Keene Hart, QC Safe Kids Coalition coordinator. "Maybe they should be in a different direction but parents are really shocked when they come in here and find out 'oh my gosh; I've been doing this wrong for awhile - I'm glad I stopped by."
Here are some tips to remember for your child's car seat:
- Check the label to make sure it's the appropriate size for your child's weight and height
- Kids should be in the back seat until they are 13
- Kids should be in rear-facing seats until around 2 years old. After going to a front-facing seat, children should be in a booster seat until they can fit into the seat belt, which is usually between the ages of 8-12
- Your car seat should not move more than an inch back and forth if shaken
- Pinch the strap at your child's should. If you can't pinch any excess webbing, you're good to go
The Coalition will offer free seat checks from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on these upcoming dates:
October 6 – Moline Fire Dept – 1526 46th Avenue, Moline
October 13 – Rock Island Fire Department – 1601 30th Street
October 20 – Medic EMS – Exit 127 Eldridge
October 27 – Davenport Fire Department – 1735 West Pleasant Street
November 3 - Moline Fire Dept – 1526 46th Avenue, Moline
November 10 - Rock Island Fire Department – 1601 30th Street
November 19 - Medic EMS – Exit 127 Eldridge
