Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is urging parents and caregivers to participate in car seat checks as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week. The initiative aims to ensure child safety seats meet current standards and are correctly installed.

"We know parents and caregivers prioritize their children's safety, so we are sponsoring car seat checks with certified child passenger safety technicians who can help them ensure their child is as safe as possible in their booster or car seat," said IDOT Director of Highways Project Implementation Steve Travia. "Sadly, two children under 13 were killed every day in 2019 while riding in vehicles. Don't wait for a crash to find out whether your child's seat is installed correctly."

Throughout the week, culminating with Seat Check Saturday, 92 events will be held across Illinois from September 17-23. Certified technicians will instruct on proper installation and use of car seats and help determine if children are using the correct seats for their age and size. Additionally, they will stress the importance of registering car seats with manufacturers for recall notifications.

Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that nearly half of all car seats are misused. Correctly using age-appropriate car seats significantly enhances child safety during vehicle crashes.

For further details on car seat safety or locating a certified technician, visit nhtsa.gov/therightseat. Information about IDOT's Child Passenger Safety program is available at buckleupillinois.org.

This campaign is supported by federal traffic safety funds administered by IDOT.