Lynn Fire Department provides child car seat safety instruction

LYNN – The Lynn Fire Department on Saturday continued its child seat safety program, providing a drive-in inspection station for motorists at the Lynnfield Street firehouse.The service was part of a national effort and coincided with Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 19-25.District Chief Joseph Zukas said many parents and guardians are concerned about transporting children safely, but do not properly attach the seat to sturdy parts of the motor vehicle interior.”It’s the responsibility of every single parent and caregiver out there to make sure their children are safely restrained, every trip, every time,” said Zukas. “We’re urging everyone to get their child safety seats checked. When it comes to the safety of a child, there’s no room for mistakes.”The checkpoints are funded through a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division.According to U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research, child safety seats saved 8,959 lives between 1975 and 2008 through the proper use of child restraints.In 2008, among children under age 5 in passenger vehicles, a child restraint saved an estimated 244 lives, Zukas said.For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers can visit their local inspection stations and refer to the following 4 Steps for Kids guidelines developed by NHTSA to determine which restraint system is best suited to protect children based on age and size:1. For the best protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until a minimum of age 1 and at least 20 pounds. It is suggested that children stay rear facing until the age of 2 and 40 pounds.2. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat. Several seats now have upper weight limits of 85 pounds.3. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats, they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest – usually at age 8 or when they reach 4-feet-9.4. When children outgrow their booster seats (usually when reach 4-feet-9) they can use the adult seat belt in the back seat. The lap belt lays across the upper thighs, the shoulder belt fits across the chest.Parents are also advised that all children under age 13 ride in the back seat, Zukas said.