MoDOT to host Car Seat Check events this September

Missouri Department of Transportation, Cape Girardeau Safe Communities and other community safety partners will host free car seat check events throughout the region.

These free events are part of National Child Passenger Safety Week and will occur Sunday, Sept. 17, through Saturday, Sept. 23.

Parents and caregivers with small children can ensure their car seats are installed correctly by visiting an inspection station throughout the area.

Certified Child Passenger Safety technicians will provide education, perform car seat inspections, review expiration dates and discuss car seat installation, usage and car seat recalls. Checks take an average of 30 minutes to complete.

Locations for the checks within Missouri include Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Houston, Jackson, Kennett, Mountain Grove, Perryville, Poplar Bluff and West Plains.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 46% of car seats and booster seats are used incorrectly.

Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States, but many of these deaths can be prevented, according to officials. Always buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats and seat belts reduces serious injuries and death by up to 80%, MoDOT said in a release.

For time, date and location of the inspection stations, visit www.savemolives.com/mcrs/car-seat-check-event.