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The vehicle seat simulator, purchased recently by SAFE KIDS Rutherford County, will be utilized by various organizations in the county for demonstration of how to properly install a child safety seat.
“This will be a great tool that will actually allow hands-on for parents and caregivers to learn how to properly install their child restraint in their vehicle,” said Charlene Proctor, physician liaison at Rutherford Regional Health System and member of SAFE KIDS Rutherford County. Proctor also serves as a child passenger seat technician-instructor for the North Carolina Department of Insurance/Office of State Fire Marshal.
The vehicle seat simulator was purchased using grant money provided by the NCDOI/OSFM and the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program. The vehicle seat simulator is a reclining vehicle bucket seat mounted on a metal box frame equipped with wheels. It includes the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system, tether hooks, various lap/shoulder belt systems and various latch plates and retractors like those found in different vehicle seats.
According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 12. Based on National Highway Transportation Safety Administration crash data in 2010, an average of two children ages 12 and younger in a passenger vehicle were killed and 325 were injured each day.
“Three out of four car seats are improperly installed,” Proctor said. “We would love to teach parents and caregivers how to properly install their child safety seats so we could see these alarming statistics decrease and lives saved.”
Charlene Proctor, physician liaison at Rutherford Regional Health System, member of SAFE KIDS Rutherford County and child passenger safety technician, offered these recommendations for child safety seats:
• Choose a car seat that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and one that you will use correctly each time.
• Keep children rear-facing until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest height and weight limit of their car seat. (new recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 2011)
• Do not use a “used” or “borrowed” seat.
• Keep children UNDER 13 YEARS OF AGE, riding in the back seat.
• Locate a CPS Technician to inspect your car seat for correct installation by visiting www.safekids.org or www.nhtsa.org.
