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Neighbor News

Would Your Child’s Safety Seat Pass Inspection?

AAA Mid-Atlantic and the Mercer County Sheriff's Department offer Free Car Seat Checks

Tracy Noble, Neighbor

Hamilton, NJ, October 22, 2019 – Parents go to great lengths to make sure their children are safe, but when it comes to car seat safety, too frequently minor mistakes can put children at risk without parents realizing it. To combat this problem AAA is partnering with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department to offer free Car Seat Checks on Saturday October 26th at the AAA Car Care Center in Hamilton NJ. According to Safe Kids Worldwide:

  • Road injuries are the leading cause of preventable deaths and injuries to children in the United States.
  • Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent.
  • More than half of car seats are not used or installed correctly.
New Jersey is one of eleven states to have updated the child passenger car seat regulations requiring that children be restrained in rear-facing child passenger restraint systems until at least age two or until they have outgrown the height and weight limits designated by the car seat manufacturer. To make an appointment to have your car seat checked on Saturday October 26th from 10:30 am -1:30 pm contact Ann Vickers at 609-890-2220 Ext 418-5741. What: AAA Car Seat Check When: Saturday October 26, 2019 10:30am-1:30pm Where: AAA Car Care Insurance and Travel Center 1260 Route 33 Hamilton, NJ 08690 The program, funded by a grant from the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety is part of a nationwide campaign to help properly secure children in a motorized vehicle. Participants can ask questions and receive hands-on instruction from certified technicians on the proper use of both car and booster seats. The technicians will provide information on how to choose the right type of car seat for a child’s age and size, how to correctly install the seat in their vehicle, and how to use that seat correctly every time. New Jersey Child Car Seat Laws
  • Children under age 2 AND weighing less than 30 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat that is equipped with a five-point harness.
  • Children ages 2 – 4 and weighing up to 40 pounds must be secured in a child-safety seat equipped with a five-point harness, either rear-facing (up to the height and weight limits of the seat) or forward-facing.
  • Children ages 4 – 8 and less than 57” tall (4’9”) must be secured in a forward-facing seat equipped with a five-point harness (up to the height and weight limits of the seat) or in a booster seat.
  • Children ages 8 – 17 must use the vehicles seat belt. The safest place for children under 13 is the back seat.

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