NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: February 8, 2010
CONTACT: Laura F. Richardson, Injury Prevention Coordinator, Safe Kids Larimer Co.
(970) 495-7504
Captain Rob Marone, Colorado State Patrol
(970) 224-3027
SUBJECT: Keeping Kids Safe on Colorado Roadways: ‘Get Dumped on Valentine’s Day’
Safe Kids Urges Parents to Protect Their Little Loved Ones for Valentine’s Day
Coalition Dumps Old, Unsafe Car Seats
FORT COLLINS, CO – This Valentine’s Day, Safe Kids Larimer County wants parents and care givers to show how much they love their little ones by protecting them while traveling in motor vehicles.
In partnership with the Colorado State Patrol, Safe Kids and other local public safety agencies are hosting a special “get dumped” event on Friday, February 12th at 10:00 a.m. Parents and care givers with unsafe, expired or defective child safety car seats are invited to bring them to the Colorado State Patrol Office, 3832 S. I-25 Fort Collins, and add them to the “dump pile” anytime from today until 10:00 a.m. on February 12th. The Colorado Children’s Automobile Safety Association (CCASA) is providing car seat recycling services for the event. In addition, Safe Kids and CCASA will be collecting old cell phones for recycle, as a fundraiser to purchase new car seats for needy families in our community.
Individuals may also call the Safe Kids office at 970.495.7504 or visit www.safekidslcc.org for a listing of resources in Larimer County to have their existing car seat professionally inspected to determine whether or not it is safe to use and to ensure it is installed properly in the vehicle.
More than 30 unsafe seats will be dumped to illustrate that some seats pose a serious safety hazard for small children and infants. Many of the seats have been recalled, have missing parts, have been in a crash, or are too old. These particular seats have been collected at car seat check-ups and from the community at large throughout last year.
Captain Rob Marone of the Colorado State Patrol says, "We are destroying these seats to make sure that they will never be used again. Many times parents are not aware of the dangers of car seats that have been purchased secondhand, are too old or have been given to them by a friend. In a crash, a child restrained incorrectly or who is placed in an unsafe seat is 3 ˝ times more likely to be seriously injured than a child who is properly restrained in a safe seat.”
Riding unrestrained is the greatest risk for death and injury among child occupants of motor vehicles. In Larimer County, motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of trauma hospitalizations for children ages birth to 14 years old. When used correctly, child safety seats and safety belts are extremely effective and can reduce the risk of death by up to 71%.
For more information, please call Safe Kids Larimer County at 970-495-7504.
Safe Kids Larimer County, led by Poudre Valley Health System, is part of Safe Kids Worldwide Campaign, the first and only worldwide organization dedicated solely to the prevention of accidental injury – the number one killer of children ages 14 and younger. There are more than 450 Coalitions around the world.
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FACT SHEET
Not sure if your child’s car seat needs to be dumped? Safe Kids recommends the following guidelines when considering a second hand seat.
Do not use a car seat that:
· Is too old. Look on the label for the date it was made. If it is more than 6 years old, it should not be used. Many manufacturers recommend that seats only be used for 5-6 years. Check with the manufacturer to find out when the company recommends getting a new seat.
· Was in a crash. It may have been weakened and should not be used, even if it looks fine. Do not use a seat if you do not know its full history.
· Does not have a label with the date of manufacture and model number. Without these, you cannot check on recalls or determine the age of the seat.
· Does not come with instructions. You need to know how to use the car seat. Do not rely on the former owner's directions. Get a copy of the instruction manual from the manufacturer before you use the seat.
· Has any cracks in the frame of the seat.
· Is missing parts. Used seats often come without important parts. Check with the manufacturer to make sure you can get the right parts.
Has the car seat been recalled?
You can find out by calling the manufacturer or the Auto Safety Hot Line at 888/DASH-2-DOT (888/327-4236), from 8 am to 10 pm ET, Monday through Friday. This information is also available online at www.safekids.org or http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
If the seat has been recalled, be sure to follow instructions to fix it or get the necessary parts. You also may get a registration card for future recall notices from the hot line.
Please join us in making Larimer County a safer place for children by bringing your unsafe car seat to the Colorado State Patrol to be dumped!
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