State leaders are taking an important step to save lives by giving away child passenger safety seats and training people how to use them.
Officials say eight out of 10 child safety seats are installed or used incorrectly but believe more young lives could be saved if the seats were properly installed and used.
The North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program and North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, Safe Kids NC, local law enforcement and first responders, today launched a statewide child passenger safety campaign. The campaign runs through Sept. 28.
“Child passenger safety is about more than compliance—it’s about protecting lives,” said NCGHSP Director Mark Ezzell. “Our partnership with the Office of State Fire Marshal and Safe Kids NC brings resources and hands-on help to families, so every child rides safely.”
Ezzell and other state leaders hosted a press conference on the initiative today at the Morrisville Fire Station.
Education and enforcement efforts will emphasize the campaign’s message of safety to parents and caregivers this week.
Certified technicians also conducted a free car seat check clinic, offering the public hands-on installation demonstrations and safety inspections. Officials also distributed 50 free child safety seats to families in need.
Throughout the week, law enforcement agencies will staff checkpoint stations across the state to inspect child passenger seatbelts. Free services like car seat checking are available year-round for parents and caregivers of young children. Websites like buckleupnc.org provide detailed information about available permanent checking stations in all 100 North Carolina counties.
“More than 3,100 nationally certified child passenger safety technicians in 97 of N.C’s 100 counties are trained to properly install car seats in vehicles,” said Chief State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor. “Thanks to these and other child safety efforts, North Carolina maintains its position as one of the strongest child passenger safety programs in the nation.”
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