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AAA, IDOT and Jesse White kick off Child Passenger Safety Week

By WEEK Reporter
September 18, 2012 Updated Sep 18, 2012 at 8:56 PM CDT

AURORA, Ill -- AAA Chicago announced Wednesday that they were joined by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Secretary of State Jesse White to kick off the 2012 Child Passenger Safety Week.

The AAA says that this year's focus is on the many Illinois grandparents that drive with young grandchildren and may not be aware of the importance of properly buckling their children in car seats.

According to the AAA, nearly 60 percent of grandparents with grandchildren under eight drive their grandchildren regularly.  While the majority of grandparents are mindful about using safety seats, nearly 15 percent of grandparents only occasionally or never buckle their children up in safety seats.

"Our children and grandchildren depend on us to keep them safe and secure," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider.  "IDOT works diligently each day to further improve our effective child passenger program and, most importantly, to help ensure our loved ones travel safely on state roadways."

For maximum safety, a parent or caregiver should have the car seat installation inspected by a certified child passenger safety technician to ensure their children are in the right seats for their age and size. Additional guidelines are as follows:

* Rear-facing seats must remain in the back seat, from birth of child to the height and weight limit of the seat; recommended up to two years old, but at a minimum age of one and 20 pounds.
 
* Forward-facing seats must be placed in the back seat after the child has reached the height or weight limit of the rear-facing seat, to about age four and 40-65 pounds.
 
* Booster seats should be placed in the back seat on children age four to at least age eight. 
 
* Safety belts are for children age eight or older, and taller than 4-foot-9.

 

 

Saturday, more than 80 child seat check points will be set up throughout the state for National Seat Check day. Locally, technicians will be available at the Kohl's on Willow Knolls from 9 am-Noon, and at the Morton Fire Department from 1-4 pm.

 

For more information on  child passenger safety and on statewide seat checks taking place Sept. 22, visit  www.buckleupillinois.org.

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