Car seat clinics promoted safety

Ken Johnston
Editor

“Love Me Buckle Me Right” was the message delivered by inspectors at the 4th annual child car seat inspections in Stratton and Rainy River last week.
Five vehicles were inspected in Stratton with one of them having two child car seats and another having three. Six were inspected in Rainy River.
A checklist was used by inspectors Gabe Langlais and Doug Irish. The size of the seat was checked against the weight of the infant. The date of manufacture was also checked as seats over 10 years of age are not recommended to be used. A check to see if recalls for manufacturer defects is also done. Owners are encouraged to fill out the product registration cards that come with the seats so that the company that makes them can promptly notify owners when there is a recall with a seat.
After the check list is completed a careful inspection of how the straps that hold the child in the seat are adjusted and secured is done. “You should only be able to place one finger between the strap and the child,” said inspector Irish.
Healthy Communities Coalition co-chair, Gayleen Jasper, said that while the proper installation of the child car seat in the car is important, the securing of the child into the seat is equally important. “If the child is not fastened in the seat properly they could be severely injured in an accident,” explained Jasper.
After going over the strap inspection, the way the seat is fastened in the car is also looked at closely. Automobiles newer than 1998 for the most part have special hooks built in to use a tether strap to insure the child car seat is secured properly. Seat belts, also used in the fastening of the car seats are also given a going over.
The idea behind the clinic is not to catch and fine parents for improperly installing the seats, but to promote safety and encourage it by teaching the right way to do things.
Jasper noted that this is one of the worst times of the year for insuring children are strapped into the seats properly. “As the weather changes so does what the kids are wearing. A thicker outfit in the morning might be replaced by a thinner one as the day warms up. It is important to adjust the straps in the seat every time the child is placed in it.”
By having parents invest 30 minutes of their time for an inspection last week the HCC hopes that they will help to save lives and reduce injuries should an accident take place.