The Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force and Chuck E. Cheese will host a seatbelt fit and car seat check event at Chuck E. Cheese on East Prien Lake Rd., Lake Charles, Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
With school out and summer vacation here, many families will hit the road this summer unaware that their 4 to 8 year-old child should be buckled up in a booster seat. “We will not only check car seats at the event, but we will also educate parents on proper use of booster seats,” says Lisa Spooner, child safety coordinator for the Office of Public Health.
“Seatbelts are made to fit adults and will not fit a child under 8 correctly,” adds Spooner. “The booster seat provides a safe form of travel for kids too big for a conventional car seat but not yet big enough for the vehicle seat belt.”
A recent study conducted by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that belt positioning booster seats are 59 percent more effective in reducing risk of injury when compared with seat belts alone.
The event is open to the public and will focus on correct seatbelt fit for children 12 years of age and younger. Fifty belt-positioning booster seats will be given away to children that meet the belt-positioning booster seat criteria. Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will also check for correct child restraint usage for children riding in car seats.
The local Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force consists of area agencies such as Office of Public Health, Safety Council SWLA, Lake Charles Police and Fire Departments, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police and others all focused on teaching families how to transport their children 12 and under safely. To find a Car Seat Fitting Station near you go to www.seatcheck.org or call 1-866-SEAT-CHECK.
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