Prep For The Holidays With Free Car Seat Safety Checks

Press release from Cherokee Fire:

Dec. 21, 2022

Holiday travel can be filled with a lot of fun memories for kids—road trips with the entire family, visits to grandma and grandpa’s house, and more. To ensure that children are traveling safely during this holiday season, Safe Kids Cherokee County conducts Free Car Seat Safety Check appointments weekly at 1130 Bluffs Pkwy, Canton, GA 30114 by nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians.

“For many families, the holiday season usually means traveling to visit friends or relatives, so we want every family to know the simple things they can do to stay safe in and around cars,” said Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services, Fire and Life Safety Educator Lisa Grisham. “Road injuries are the leading cause of preventable deaths and injuries to children in the United States. By correctly using child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent; however, 75% of the car seats are installed incorrectly. Come see us to make sure your child’s car seat is properly installed.”

Families can make appointments in advance at www.safekidscherokeecounty.org and click on BOOK NOW.

Safe Kids Cherokee County and Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services also remind parents and caregivers about some simple tips to keep kids safe while traveling.

“On the way to the destination, we want to remind families to think about things like proper vehicle restraint systems, distractions on the road, and weather concerns so that holiday travel will be fun and safe for the whole family,” said Grisham.

Safe Kids Cherokee County recommends the following holiday travel tips:

• Everybody needs their own restraint. Make it a rule: Everyone buckled—every ride, every time—whether it’s the long trip to visit family or around the corner.

• If you are flying, take your car seat with you and use it on the plane. It will be a benefit to have it with you at your destination and when you travel to and from the airport. Let car rental companies know in advance if you need to rent a car seat or booster seat. Be sure to check with the airline for recommendations about car seats on airplanes before traveling.

• Watch out for small kids and distracted drivers in parking lots that are busier than usual during the holidays.

• Remind your inexperienced teen driver to be extra alert during the holidays when people are more distracted and the weather can be tricky.

• Avoid distractions while driving. No text message or playlist is worth the risk of taking your eyes off the road. Set your GPS to voice-activated so you can concentrate on driving without having to look at your phone.

• Plan to use a designated driver or car service to make sure you get home safely if you drink alcohol.

• Secure loose objects. Put hot foods, large gifts, and anything that could fly around in a crash in the trunk.

• Prepare for weather emergencies by packing extra blankets, food, and diapers. Keep your phone charged and make sure someone at your destination knows the route you are planning to take.

• NEVER leave children alone in the car. Not even for a few minutes. Create reminders to check the back seat before leaving your car. Example: Put your purse, briefcase, or shoe in the back seat before you leave.

To learn more holiday safety tips, visit: www.safekids.org/holidays [safekids.org]

This press release was produced by Cherokee Fire. The views expressed here are the author's own.