Car Seat Check This Saturday By Safe Kids Cherokee

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA -- Help protect your most precious cargo when you stop by and get your car seats inspected at a car seat safety event hosted by Safe Kids Cherokee.

The event is Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to noon at Food Depot, 5530 Bells Ferry Road in Acworth. Safe Kids Cherokee will have $10 car seat and boosters also available for those that are in need of a seat.

With more than 2,600 children under 13 involved in a car crash every day, or one child every 33 seconds, parents need to be extra vigilant about keeping kids safe in cars. And while most families put kids in car seats, the latest research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that 59 percent of car seats are not installed correctly.

In Georgia, there is legislation to ensure children are riding in child passenger restraint systems while in a passenger motor vehicle. According to O.C.G.A. 40- 8-76 (Georgia Code), "children under eight years of age must ride in an approved child restraint system and the driver shall provide proper restraint of a child in a child passenger restraint system appropriate for such child’s height and weight and is approved by the U.S. government."

It is very important for parents and caregivers to understand that while the law is important to know, it is also critical to understand what the best practice for children who ride in car seats and knowing the appropriate car seat to use.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services is the Lead Agency for Safe Kids Cherokee.