Seat Belt Safety & Use Habits Start Early For Kids

By Staff, 03/16/17 4:08 PM

HOPE – Families And Children Together, Inc.’s Hope Head Start campus partnered with the Injury Prevention Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital to host its monthly parent club meeting about child passenger seat safety. The Hope Head Start campus provides early childhood education to children 3-5 years old. The program also supports the mental, social and emotional development of child and their families.

Sylvia Brown, Family Service Aide, said “Parents, grandparents and other caregivers are bombarded with so much information about car seats, boosters and seat belts. It is confusing and tough to know what’s right for their child.” Unfortunately, not knowing or practicing the buckle up practice can be tragic. For children 1 to 13 motor vehicle are a leading cause of death. Every 33 seconds, one child under 13 is involved in a vehicle crash.

“We must work together to spread the word about child passenger safety and the life-saving importance of correct car seat selection, installation and use,” said Charles Maxwell, Outreach Specialist for the Injury Prevention Center. Maxwell brought a child-sized mannequin, a booster seat and a car seat for his demonstration. Key in his presentation was using the correct safety seat and restraints based on three factors: age, weight and height. Too often parents move their child to another type of car seat too early, just because a child turns a certain age. Her height and weight are important too and must be part of the seat transition.

Jennifer Ghormley with Hope Police Department informed caregivers and Head Start that Arkansas has a primary child seat belt law; all children age 15 and under must be in proper child passenger restraint system. The local police, in fact, assigns officers on various shifts to focus only on enforcement of seat belt and child restraint laws.

On Saturday, April 15, 10:00am to 12:00pm, the Injury Prevention Center and Hope Police are sponsoring a car seat check-up event. Caregivers can call 870-777-3434 ext. 2 for help with a car seat check.