CTDOT Press Releases
09/15/2022
CTDOT to hold Child Seat Checks During Child Passenger Safety Week
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is announcing a series of Child Seat Checks, a safety event held for parents and caregivers to receive free instruction from certified child passenger safety technicians on how to correctly install and use the right car seats for their children, during Child Passenger Safety Week which runs this year from September 18 – 24.
The events will teach parents and caregivers how to use car seats correctly and how to properly install them. Technicians will also be on-site to discuss car seat selections with parents and answer any other questions. Additionally, they will explain the importance of registering car seats with the manufacturers so they can be notified if there is a recall.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), two children under 13 were killed every day in 2020 while riding in vehicles, and another 278 were injured. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children, and the latest research from NHTSA shows that 46% of car seats are misused.
“The most important task of a parent or caregiver is to keep their children safe,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti. “Using age and size appropriate car seats and installing them correctly are the best ways to reduce crash fatalities among children. The consequences of misused car seats can be disastrous, and car seat instructions must be read and followed.”
Child Seat Check-Up events will be held during Child Passenger Safety Week at the following locations:
- Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
50 Imperial Ave., Westport
To book your free appointment, please email carseats@ynhh.org
- Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Middletown Fire Department / Cross Street Fire Station
169 Cross Street, Middletown
To book your free appointment, please email jlow2010@att.net
- Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Griffin Hospital
4 Mountain St., Derby
To book your free appointment, please email ckellet@griffinhealth.org
- Thursday, September 22, 2022, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Target Parking Lot, 240 Chase Ave., Waterbury
No appointment necessary
All events are free and open to the public, but appointments must be made in advance where indicated.
More than a third of children 12 and younger who died in crashes in 2020 in cars, pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs were unbuckled. From 2016-2020, there were 1,721 tweens (8 to 14 years old) killed in passenger vehicles, and in 2020 alone, the 8 to 12-year-old age group had the highest number of fatalities (216) among children in passenger vehicles.
“Don’t wait for a crash to happen to find out if your child’s seat is installed correctly,” Giulietti added, “Let an expert check for you so you can have that peace of mind.”
Parents, guardians, and caregivers can also visit nhtsa.gov/therightseat to learn other tips on car seat safety, watch how-to videos, and sign up for car seat recall notifications.
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