As part of National Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 20-27, 2008), the Vermont Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) is urging parents to make sure that their children are properly buckled up in the family vehicle. The focus of this year’s effort in Vermont is making sure parents of tweens –  8- to 12-year-olds – are aware of whether their children still need to be in a booster seat to be safe.

“We are urging every parent, grandparent and guardian to get their child safety seats inspected as their children grow,” said Michele Laberge, Child Passenger Safety Specialist with GHSP. “When it comes to the safety of a child, there is no room for mistakes.”

On Seat Check Saturday (Sept. 20) and the following week, certified safety seat technicians at sites and events throughout the state will measure children, check seats and vehicles to ensure children are secured in the car properly, or provide information to parents on where and how to get their car, child and safety seat checked at a later date. Some of these events offer free food and beverages, giveaways and/or movie passes to tweens who arrive in cars to be weighed and measured at an inspection. Some offer a limited number of free or discounted car seats. Events are listed below.

Child Passenger Safety Week annually draws attention to the importance of  safe transportation for children. By law, children progress through four stages of seating in motor vehicles: rear-facing seats; front-facing seats; booster seats; and seat belts. Sitting buckled in the back seat is safest place for children up to the age of 13. Child restraints work best when used correctly, and correct car seat use has been proven to save children’s lives. But how do parents know what’s correct?

These guidelines encompass the four stages:

1. Infants and toddlers ride rear-facing until at least 1 year old and 20 pounds. For the best possible protection, keep infants and toddlers in the back seat, in a rear-facing child safety seat, as long as possible up to the height and weight limit of the car seat .

2. Kids older than 1 year and weighing at least 20 pounds may be forward-facing in car seats. Children should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the seat (usually around age 4 and 40 lbs.).

3. Kids 40 pounds and up ride in booster seats or high weight harness seats. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seat, they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until vehicle seat belts fit properly.

4. Kids over 4’9” usually fit well in a lap and shoulder belt.  When children outgrow their booster seats, they can use the adult seat belt in the back if it fits properly.

Details are available at www.BeSeatSmart.com, or by calling 1-888-VMT-SEAT.

This week is the culmination of Vermont’s month-long Be Seat Smart campaign.

Child Passenger Safety Week Events
Seat Check Saturday: FREE safety seat inspections
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008

Brattleboro
Rescue Inc.  – 10 a.m.-noon
Canal Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301

Colchester
Colchester Fire Dept. – noon-2 p.m.
483 Main St.
Colchester, VT 05446

Essex
Essex Rescue – 10 a.m.-noon by appointment; call 878-4859, ext. 4
1 Educational Drive
Essex Junction, VT 05452

Hartford
Hartford Fire Dept. – noon-4 p.m.; call 295-3232
812 VA Cutoff Road
White River Junction, VT 05001

Newport
Sponsored Safety Seat Inspection Event
Passumpsic Savings Bank –
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Main Street
Newport, VT  05855
• First 30 tweens to be checked for safe seating in their car will get free movie pass to Waterfront Cinema

Shelburne
Shelburne Police Dept., 3-5 p.m.
5420 Shelburne Road
Shelburne, VT 05482

Williston
Vermont State Police – 9 a.m.-3 p.m. by appointment; call 878-7111
2777 St. George Road
Williston, VT 05495

 

Special Events

Safety Seat Informational Display at Dorset Park
Saturday, Sept. 6, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Dorset and Swift Streets, South Burlington, VT
Water donated by Vermont Pure Springs

Safety Seat Informational Display at Marble Works Family Fun Day
in Middlebury
Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Downtown Middlebury, VT

Safety Seat Informational Event at Diamond Run Mall in Rutland
Sunday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Off U.S. 7, Rutland, VT
In mall in front of JCPenney; featuring Burlington Parks & Rec’s PLAYMOBILE

Safety Seat Training at Kids and Fitness
Child care provider safety training session
Tuesday, September 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
115 Wellness Drive, Williston, VT

Sponsored Safety Seat Inspection
Saturday, September 27, 10  a.m.-2 p.m.
CODY Chevrolet
364 River Road, Montpelier, VT
FREE safety seat check, 107.1 FrankFM radio remote, prizes, free food
• First 30 tweens to be checked for safe seating in their car will get free movie pass to Capitol Plaza or Paramount theaters
Water donated by Vermont Pure Springs

Vt. Safety Seat Fitting Stations in locations statewide by appointment.
Call 888-VMT-SEAT or visit www.BeSeatSmart.org

 

Upcoming Events

Safety Seat Inspection Events
FREE safety seat checks
For more information call 1-888-VMT-SEAT (888-868-7328)

Saturday, October 4
Bethel
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Central Vermont Public Service

St. Johnsbury
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
St. J. Subaru
Memorial Drive

 

 

Saturday, October 11
Williston
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Home Depot
759 Harvest Lane

Saturday, October 18
Fair Haven
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
On the Common

 

 

All events are co-sponsored by Safe Kids Vermont
and Land Air Express of New England.

 

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For more information, contact:
Michele Laberge,
Governor’s Highway Safety Program
802-777-0207
mlaberge@dps.state.vt.us

For logos in color or B&W, contact:
Mindy Clawson

pr@martketing-partners.co