Duncan Urges Parents to Participate In County Car Check; Appeal Follows Release of National Study Showing Majority of Child Safety Seats are Improperly Installed

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Contact: Sue Rogan, 301/217-7391

Duncan Urges Parents to Participate
In County Car Seat Check; Appeal
Follows Release of National Study Showing
Majority of Child Safety Seats are
Improperly Installed

On the heels of a recent study by the National Safe Kids Campaign that indicates as many as 85 percent of child safety seats are improperly installed, County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today announced a renewed effort to encourage parents and caregivers to participate in Montgomery County's Child Safety Seat Check Program.

"It is clear from the recent study that there is still considerable public education needed concerning the proper installation of child safety seats," said Duncan. "I hope that all parents of small children will take advantage of the County safety seat check program, since a properly installed child safety restraint will significantly reduce the risk of serious injury or death."

Duncan's announcement came as parents lined up their cars in the Fitzgerald Auto Mall Service lane to participate in one of the County's regularly scheduled safety seat checks. County workers and Fitzgerald Auto Mall staff trained in proper installation techniques carefully inspected each car seat, checking to make sure that straps were snug, locking clips were used correctly, and that any recalled car seats were repaired. The most common errors cited in the national study included those seats not secured tightly enough in the seat belt; loose harness straps that could lead to a child being ejected from the seat in a crash; and incorrectly routed harness straps. Placing infants in rear-facing seats in front of an active air bag, and facing children forward in car seats before the age of 1 were also noted in the study as mistakes that could result in serious injury or death in the event of a crash.

The Montgomery County Car Seat Safety Check program offers regular car seat checks at locations around the county. For more information about the program, or to schedule an appointment to have your child safety seat checked, call the Montgomery County Child Passenger Safety Hotline at 301/217-8300.

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