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Car Seat Safety
Installation Instruction a Definite Need
Motor vehicle collisions are
the leading cause of death for children under
14 years of age. Therefore, children's safety
while travelling in a motor vehicle is a
Health Unit priority. The motor vehicle
collision rate is significantly higher in the
tri-county areas than as compared to the rest
of Ontario.
The Health Unit has worked with a variety of
community partners in the tri-county such as
the police and the Canadian Automobile
Association to assist in educating parents and
caregivers about the importance of the correct
use of child car seats.
In 1999, five car seat clinics were held
throughout the tri-county. Public Health
Nurses, along with other trained community
partners and volunteers inspected 228 car
seats. Only 17 car seats were used and
installed correctly. The purpose of the car
seat clinic was to help parents, grandparents,
and caregivers properly install and use their
car seats. The clinics also helped to make
adults aware of safety hazards inside their
vehicles.
Car seat safety information is also given out
in prenatal classes, Well Baby/Baby Talk
groups, and during the 48-hour phone call or
home visit by a Public Health Nurse after a
baby is born.
The Health Unit held five car seat
inspector-training sessions where 40
volunteers were trained to check for the
correct use and installation of child car
seats.
With these initiatives, the Health Unit
expects to see an increase in the number of
child car restraints installed correctly and a
reduction in the number of injuries and deaths
among children as a result of motor vehicle
collisions.
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