HARRISBURG – Inspections of child safety seats conducted last month as part of a State Police “Click It or Ticket” campaign found that more than two-thirds of the seats were improperly installed or had other problems said Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski.
“We need to take special care to protect our children when they travel,” Pawlowski said. “Child safety seats save lives, but only when they are placed and used correctly.”
Pawlowski said only 92 of the 307 child safety seats inspected during the campaign were found to be properly installed. The inspections, which were conducted Nov. 17-30 at 52 locations statewide, were free to the public. No citations were issued at the inspections.
However, troopers on the road during the campaign issued 622 citations and 6,212 warnings to drivers for failing to wear a seatbelt; and 50 citations and 132 warnings for failing to properly buckle a child in a safety seat.
Pawlowski said commonly-found problems during the inspections included failing to securely anchor the child seat to the vehicle seat, failing to use the child seat’s harness to hold the child in the seat, facing the car seat in the wrong direction, and using a seat that has been recalled because of a defect.
He offered the following tips to parents:
· Use the car’s seat belt to anchor the seat to the car unless you are using a child safety seat with a LATCH system;
· Read and follow the car seat manufacturer’s instructions;
· Fill out and return the registration card for your seat so you will be notified if the seat has been recalled because of a problem;
· Make sure the seat’s harness fits snugly; and
· Use a tether strap if the seat requires it.
Because of the potential dangers associated with the deployment of air bags, state police are also recommending that children 12 and under ride in a vehicle’s rear seat.
For more information on car seat safety and to get a list of state police car seat safety inspection stations, visit the “PSP Car Safety Seat Information” online.