It’s a familiar routine: strapping your child into the car seat before you get behind the wheel—but, is your child really safe?
The Richland County Ambulance Service and Richland County Health Department will be hosting a Richland County Passenger Safety Seat Clinic on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Sidney Health Center, in the ambulance garage from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary as it is on a first come, first-serve basis.
During the clinics, the certified car seat technicians will:
• Check for correct installation
• Check your seat for recalls
• Check to make sure the seat matches your child’s weight and age
• Check to make sure the seat is positioned in your vehicle correctly
• Answer safety seat questions
Montana law requires all children under age six and weighing less than 60 lbs. to be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends keeping children in their car seats for as long as possible before moving them to the next type of car seat. Many children are not tall enough to graduate from a booster seat to a lap and shoulder belt alone until they are at least 4’9” tall, which is about eight years or older.
Child passenger safety technicians in Montana report that about 75 to 80 percent—that’s four out of five—of the car seats they checked are not installed properly. Take advantage of this local passenger safety seat clinic to make sure you and your children are traveling safe. If you have any questions about the clinic, please feel free to call the Health Department at (406) 433-2207 or the Richland County Ambulance Service at (406) 488-2180.
Source: Montana Department of Transportation
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