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Child Passenger Safety Week Provides Car Seat Resources

Staff Report / atxlocal.org

**National Child Passenger Safety Week Promotes Safe Car Seat Use**

Austin, Texas - Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and injury for children in the United States. According to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death for young passengers by as much as 71%. However, nearly 60% of car seats are reportedly not used or installed correctly.

In light of National Child Passenger Safety Week, various resources are available to help parents ensure their child safety seats are used correctly. These resources are free and include virtual car seat check-ups, expert videos, in-person inspections, and online classes.

Parents can participate in virtual car seat check-ups offered by local coalitions, which can be accessed via smartphones or tablets with the guidance of a nationally certified child passenger safety technician (CPST). To find a participating coalition in Texas, visit [Safe Kids Texas](https://www.safekids.org/coalition/safe-kids-texas).

Additionally, Safe Kids provides expert videos covering the proper use and selection of car seats for different stages, including rear-facing seats, forward-facing seats, and booster seats. These can be watched on YouTube at the following links:

- [Rear-Facing Car Seats](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtlrPvGXGXU)

- [Forward-Facing Car Seats](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggXbQXrsXmc)

- [Booster Seats](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCX6aceCOMg)

For those who prefer in-person assistance, parents can locate a Safe Kids coalition, local event, or CPST for car seat inspections by visiting the following websites: [Safe Kids Coalitions](https://www.safekids.org/safe-kids-coalitions-united-states) and [Safe Kids Events](https://events.safekids.org/).

The Ultimate Car Seat Guide, available in both English and Spanish, is another resource that offers comprehensive guidance on car seat use and transitioning to different types of seats. Access the guide at [Ultimate Car Seat Guide](https://ucsg.safekids.org/).

Finally, Safe Kids has created an online class for parents and caregivers that covers car seat safety from the start of the journey through adulthood. The class is taught by a CPST and is designed to be flexible for busy parents. It can be found at [Safe Kids Online Class](https://www.udemy.com/course/basic-child-passenger-safety/).

This week emphasizes the importance of ensuring children are safely secured in their vehicles. Parents are encouraged to utilize these resources to help save lives.

Source: Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services

Source Type: EMS

Source Location: Austin

Sep 16, 2024 at 7:35 PM

EMS