Alyssa Byrd, 2, is being buckled into her car seat by her uncle, Josh Byrd.
While a lot of attention has been paid to H1N1, many parents still ignore the number one killer of children – car crashes.
For those interested in checking to see if they are using car seats properly, Laurinburg police and fire officials will be conducting a free car seat inspection today.
Officers will be set up in the parking lot of Badcock Furniture, across the street from the police station, to check safety seats to make sure they are appropriate for the age and weight of the child, the seat is not subject to a recall and is not damaged and to teach people how to properly install a car seat.
About 26 percent of deaths in children aged 14 and younger was caused by car accidents, with 968 children dying in 2008 motor vehicle crashes while another 168,000 were injured, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says many of these deaths can be prevented – placing children in appropriate car seats and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half.
The misuse of child safety seats seems to be pandemic as one study says more than 70 percent of parents may not be following proper guidelines for safety seats.
Officer Josh Bird recommends anyone who uses a child safety seat to come by and get their seat inspected.
"A lot of times, car seats aren't used properly," Byrd said. "If not used properly, they don't do what they are supposed to do. This program is designed to make children are secure in their seats."
He said four people licensed by the state to inspect car seats – Byrd, a fireman and two health department employees – will be on site in this first ever Scotland County safety seat check.
For those worried about self-incrimination, Byrd says not to worry – no one will be ticketed as part of this inspection.
Child safety seats are mandated by the NC Child Passenger Safety Law for any child that is under the age of 8 and weighs less than 80 pounds.
Those who violate this law will pay a fine of up to $25, court costs of $130 and will have two points put on their license.
According to the CDC:
• Child safety seats reduce the risk of death in passenger cars by 71 percent for infants, and by 54 percent for toddlers ages 1 to 4 years.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends booster seats for children until they are at least 8 years of age or 4'9" tall.
• Booster seats reduce injury risk by 59 percent compared for children 4 to 7 years to seat belts alone, according to researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
• All children ages 12 years and younger should ride in the back seat. Riding in the back seat is associated with a 40 percent reduction in the risk of serious injury for children ages 16 and younger. Putting children in the back seat eliminates the injury risk of deployed front passenger-side airbags and places children in the safest part of the vehicle in the event of a crash. Adults should avoid placing children in front of airbags.
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