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Child Passenger Safety Programs

Safe Kids Central Ohio works closely with parents, caregivers, and community agencies to keep kids safe when traveling in motor vehicles. Our comprehensive child passenger safety program strives to educate every driver who transports children about the importance of buckling up and using their child safety seats correctly.  

Child Safety Seat Distribution Program

Riding unrestrained is the single greatest risk factor for death and injury among children traveling in a motor vehicle.  In an effort to reduce the number of children riding unrestrained, Safe Kids Central Ohio and Columbus Public Health have teamed up to offer child safety seat classes.

Our child safety seat distribution program is designed to provide child safety seats at a reduced cost to families in need.  Parents are required to attend a one-hour educational class where they will learn how to use and install their child safety seat correctly.

The classes are held once a week at Columbus Public Health. For more information call (614) 645-7748. 

Child Safety Seat Check Up Events

A child safety seat may not protect a child in a crash, if it is not properly installed and used correctly.  According to National Safe Kids, an estimated 85% of children who are placed in child safety seats and booster seats are improperly restrained. 

In 2005, 643 child safety seats were checked in Central Ohio.  Data shows that 92% of these child safety seats were not being
used correctly. 

Common misuse issues include, but are not limited to:

·          Using an inappropriate seat for a child's age and size.

·          Placing an infant forward facing before they reach 1 year of age and 20 pounds.

·          Not securing the child safety seat tightly in the vehicle.

·          Not tightening the harness straps or adjusting the harness clip to armpit level.

In a continuing effort to decrease misuse, our mobile child safety seat check up van travels to various locations throughout Central Ohio to conduct regularly scheduled child safety seat checks.  

 
At these events, certified child passenger safety technicians will work one on one to ensure that all aspects of safety relative to the child, the car seat and the vehicle are explored.

For more information or to find a child safety seat check up event near you, call (614) 645-7748.

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Safe Kids Columbus Ohio Phone: 614-645-6138 Fax: 614-645-6745

  E-mail: lltvorik@columbus.gov