Free child car seat safety check today

August 16, 2008 · Filed Under Spokane Wa Events 

Spokane County Traffic Safety Commission is putting on a free car seat safety check

Today at WalMart on North Division from 10am - 2pm.
       

After doing a little shopping with Olivia (while Rebecca slept after working an overnight shift at Sacred Heart), I popped over.  I wouldn’t have known about the free car seat safety check except that I drove right past it!
     
The volunteers were amazing.  Several volunteers helped get me checked in, and a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician performed the car seat check.

After filling out a brief survey and taking an optional safety quiz, a Safety Technician came over and got me started.  At first she checked the belts and buckles with Olivia in the car seat, then had Olivia pop out.  She and her assistant removed the car seat, recorded the model and year made and did a search for any possible past recall notices.  Then, she showed me how to (properly) install the car seat back in our car.

The best part of the car seat check was the safety education.  The questions they address are:

  • Is the car seat installed correctly?
  • Is the car sear the right size for your child?
  • Has your car seat been recalled.

     
Our technician talked to me about the benefits of newer car seat models.  Ours car seat was made in 2002, which is on the cusp of what the safety experts would consider optimal.  She also explained how different car seat models install differently in different cars depending on what safety features your car has.  We also had a discussion about the increased safety of keeping Olivia rear-facing instead of forward-facing in her carseat.

The Spokane County Traffic Safety Commissions puts these car seat safety check workshops on about once per month.

  • Their last free check station was on Saturday, June 21, 2008 at AAA located at 1717 W. Fourth Avenue Spokane, WA.
  • Their next free check station is on Saturday, September 27th, 2008 at Dishman Dodge
  • If you don’t want to wait until the next Spokane County Traffic Safety Commission workshop, you can have your car seat checked at 7 child-seat fitting locations around Spokane county.  You can also call (509) 232-2985 for more information.

Thanks,

Aaron

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