Sept. 18--Installing child safety seats can be an exercise in frustration. But proper installation can be the difference between life and death in a car accident.
Car accidents are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
National Seat Check Saturday on Sept. 19 is the culminating event of Child Passenger Safety Week, which is a national campaign launched by NHTSA to raise awareness about the use and proper installation of child safety seats and safety belts.
Buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats and seat belts can reduce the risk of serious and fatal injuries by anywhere from 45 percent for grade school children to 71 percent for infants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Yet most of us get it wrong. The Illinois State Police estimate that nine out of 10 child safety seats are not installed correctly.
The Illinois state police are offering free child seat safety inspections and installations during the eighth annual Family Safety Fair at the Illinois Tollway's headquarters in Downers Grove for National Seat Check Saturday.
The fair blends instruction with family fun that includes hands-on displays of a SWAT tactical response truck, a helicopter, firetruck, squad cars, commuter bus and a 26-ton snow plow. Bounce houses and other carnival attractions will be complemented by a performance from the high-flying Jesse White Tumbling Team.
A K-9 unit will demonstrate how police dogs assist troopers.
Children whose car seats get inspected and certified will get identification cards.
"The Tollway's Family Safety Fair is a great event where families can have fun while adults and caregivers learn valuable ways to keep children safe whenever they travel," Illinois Tollway director Greg Bedalov said in a statement.
If you're not able to make it to Downers Grove, www.safercar.gov has a child car seat inspection locator searchable by ZIP code. Over 259 inspection stations are listed in Chicagoland, ranging from police and fire departments to hospitals such as Advocate Children's in Oak Lawn to stores such as Galt Baby in Lincoln Park to automakers such as McGrath Lexus in the West Loop.
rduffer@chicagotribune.com
Family Safety Fair
Saturday, Sept. 19
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
2700 Ogden Ave.
Downers Grove, Ill. 60515
Visit illinoistollway.com/homepage for more info.
