Ensure Your Child’s Safety: Farmington Hills Fire Department to Offer Free Car Seat Inspections on Sunday, Jan. 12
Proper car seat installation can decrease injuries to children in car crashes
The City of Farmington Hills Fire Department is putting parents' peace of mind in the driver's seat this winter at a car seat installation and inspection on Sunday, Jan. 12 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Appointments are free to anyone who needs assistance and will be held at Fire Station #3, located at 29260 Grand River Ave. Inspections are performed by nationally certified child car seat technicians from the Farmington Hills Fire Department.
“We know that proper car seat installation can drastically reduce injuries to children in the event of a car crash, and it can be confusing to properly install a car seat since every vehicle is slightly different,” said Farmington Hills Fire Chief Jon Unruh. “Our staff is trained to confirm your child’s seat is installed properly, no matter what type of vehicle you drive. We just want to make sure your child is as safe as possible.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 50% of all child car seats are installed or used incorrectly. Additionally, NHTSA estimates that properly installed car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by approximately 70% for infants and 50% for toddlers. It’s important to know the proper stages to ensure each child is in the correct type of car seat or booster seat for their age, height and weight, and that it is installed in the correct position.
Technicians will check for proper installation and possible recalls of car seats. Parents or caregivers will also be given instruction on how to properly install and use the car seat. Inspections take approximately 45 minutes and are free to the public with no residency requirements.
Appointments must be requested by Friday, Jan. 10. To register for a free child car seat inspection appointment, contact FDevents@FHgov.com.