As part of the “Click It or Ticket” seat belt awareness campaign, state trooper barracks across Pennsylvania will be offering free tutorials in child safety seat installation.
Parents and caregivers for young children will be able to bring their cars and car seats to checkpoints in their counties to have the safety seats inspected. If there are problems with the seats, troopers will show parents how to install them properly.
Pennsylvania State Trooper Adam Reed said safety seats are often strapped into the vehicle too loosely to properly protect the child. This is just one of many common problems.
“Studies have shown that approximately 75 percent of all car seats are installed incorrectly,” Reed said.
Many Pennsylvania countieswill have a checkpoint set up for at least one day between May 19 and June 1. Allegheny County’s inspection will take place on from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 21 at Chick-Fil-A in Monroeville. Butler County’s will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 24 at Sam’s Club on Moraine Pointe Plaza. Westmoreland County will have a checkpoint from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 21 at the Mutual Aid Ambulance Garage on West Otterman Street in Greensburg . Other checkpoints and times can be found on the state trooper website.
Reed said if parents are busy during their local inspection time, there are other options.
“If they can’t make it to that time slot, feel free to contact your local state police barracks,” he said. “Chances are good that there’s going to be a trooper on duty who is well-versed in car seat installation and can certainly help you out.”
The state troopers are hoping to raise awareness of the importance of safe car seats for children. According to Reed, law enforcement officers frequently see parents driving with young children without a car seat at all. He said the state trooper inspections are a great opportunity to stress the importance of child safety in vehicles.
“It would certainly benefit the public to learn more about how to install these seats correctly, and we urge parents and caregivers to read the manual that comes with the seat,” Reed said.
