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If you have children or grandchildren, you already know from experience that child safety seats are not as easy to master as one might expect. From selecting the right seat to understanding how seat belt systems lock, car seats can be very confusing.
According to the John Muir Trauma Services' Child Passenger Safety Program, 82 percent of the 2,300 car seats checked by its Contra Costa Car Seat Safety Coalition in 2008 were not used correctly. "This is not far off," says Child Passenger Safety Program Coordinator Carol Powers. "National rates claim 3 out of 4 car seats, or 75 percent of car seats are not installed properly."
Even though child safety seats have vastly improved over the years and the death rate for children by motor vehicle crashes has gone down, crashes still remain a top cause of death and injury to children. "Using a child safety seat correctly is the one variable that a parent or caregiver can most easily influence to keep a child safe while traveling on the road," says Powers.
What is a parent to do? Many caregivers are turning to the growing numbers of nationally certified car seat technicians to sort out their car seat conundrums. Getting your car seat's selection and installation checked by a trained professional is key.
Here in the Lamorinda area, the closest place for a "car seat check" is at the Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD). The Fire District has long promoted child passenger safety education with certified child passenger safety technicians on staff. A founding member of the Contra Costa Car Seat Safety Coalition, MOFD collaborates to host public check-up events as well as its own car seat fitting stations.
"Our next Child Safety Seat Inspection event is Wednesday, August 19, from 10 a.m. to noon at Station 41, at 1280 Moraga Way in Moraga. It is open to anyone and best of all, it's free. But if you can't make the event, we do take appointments," says MOFD Firefighter Jon Bensley, coordinator of the District's car seat program and car seat technician.
To arrange an appointment, send an email to carseatmofd@gmail.com. Bensley advises planning ahead because advance notice helps in coordinating a meeting time and place with technicians who work a variety of shifts.
Be advised to bring your car seat instructions with you and install a new car seat before coming to the inspection event. "The instructions are the key to knowing how a car seat works. If you can't find your instructions, we won't turn you away. We keep instructions in our car seat supplies," says Powers, who coordinates the team of Contra Costa Car Seat Safety Coalition technicians working the Moraga event.
Assisting with the August 19th Child Safety Seat Inspection event is newly certified car seat technician and MOFD Fire Prevention & Public Education Secretary, Grace Santos. If you have questions about the event, call Grace at 925-258-4525. Grace says that the fire station bays will be open for the event so there will be shade for most who attend.
If you have general questions about child passenger safety, call the Coalition phone line at 925-941-7989.