NAMPA, Idaho (CBS2) — Treasure Valley organizations have partnered with the Idaho Office of Highway Safety to perform free car seat checks during Child Passenger Safety Week.
Car crashes are the leading cause of death in children under the age of seven nationally, and in Idaho, 1,943 crashes last year involved vehicles carrying children in this age group.
During Child Passenger Safety Week, parents can bring their vehicles and child seats to locations around Idaho. They can learn how to install it, and certified child passenger safety technicians can see if it fits their child and the vehicle. The safety technicians can also see how parents set up their seats and provide advice on mistakes parents might be making.
The Nampa Police Department is one of the organizations conducting the free checks. Officer Deran Watt and others will offer them on the 21st.
Watt spoke on what makes the best child safety seat. "When parents ask me 'what is the best child safety seat out there?' my answer is that seat that you know how to use properly every time, that your child fits in properly and fits in your vehicle properly."
Watt said that most child safety seats are misused, intentionally and unintentionally.
"Approximately, in excess of 70 percent of seats have some sort of misuse," Watt said.
The misuse could be the seat is not installed correctly or a sizing issue.
"We want to make sure that kids have not outgrown the seat that they are in so that it's going to properly protect them," Watt said.
In the Gem State, the Idaho Department of Transportation recommends a child safety seat be rear-facing until age two, forward-facing from age two to four and then a booster seat until the child is tall enough to sit regularly on the car seat. The law in Idaho states any child under seven years old must have a child seat appropriate for them.
Parents can still make common mistakes if the seat is sized correctly.
"Their belts are improperly routed on the seats, and they're not going to hold them in place," Watt said regarding errors parents typically make. "Usually, they're too loose. The seats are not installed tight enough."
Most free checks are on Saturday, but you can find a list of events HERE.
Here's a list of events going on in the Treasure Valley:
- Thursday, Sept. 21
- Nampa: Nampa Police Department, 820 2nd St S, 1-3 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 23
- Meridian: Tomlinson South Meridian YMCA, 5155 S Hillsdale Ave, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Caldwell: Treasure Valley Community College, 205 S. 6th Ave., 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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