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Free child car seat check-up events offered in King County

Published 2:54 pm Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Parents and caregivers can get support in fitting their children securely in car seats at free child car seat check-up events in upcoming months.
Parents and caregivers can get support in fitting their children securely in car seats at free child car seat check-up events in upcoming months.

Child safety seats can save lives, but they need to be used properly to be effective. Parents and caregivers can get support in fitting their children securely in car seats at free child car seat check-up events in upcoming months.

Public Health – Seattle and King County is hosting several free events that will be held at the following days and locations:

• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 8 at the Renton Community Center, 1715 SE Maple Valley Highway, Renton

• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, June 12 at Babies R Us, 17501 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila

• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, July 16 at Valley Regional Fire Authority, 1101 D St. NE, Auburn

• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 at St. Francis Hospital, 34515 Ninth Ave. S., Federal Way

Parents and caregivers will have their child safety seat checked by a certified child safety seat technician for safe installation and educational materials will be on hand. Soon-to-be parents and caregivers are welcome as well.

These events are ones of many ongoing child safety seat check-up events in the Puget Sound area. Check the Washington Safety Restraint Coalition website for locations and schedules.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children up to two years old in rear facing seats or until they have reached the maximum height and weight limits of the car seat as allowed by the manufacturer.

Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants younger than one year old and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars, according to national research. Among children four to eight years old, child safety seats reduce the risk for serious injury by 45 percent when compared with seat belt use alone.

For more information about the events, contact Alan Abe at 206-263-8544.