Car seat clinic offers free seat checks

Using the correct restraints reduces infants’ fatalities by 71 percent and toddlers’ fatal injuries by 54 percent in passenger cars.

Have certified technicians check the safety and fit of installed car seats from 3 to 6 p.m. on October 17 and November 28 at the Gold Cross Ambulance Garage, 2800 7th Street North, in St. Cloud. This is a free service.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 12, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 2006 to 2010, 4,028 children were killed and an estimated 660,000 were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes.

The goal of the car seat check is to:

--Teach people how to install a car seat properly every time.

--Make sure they feel comfortable with the installation of the seat.

--Provide them with education and knowledge to protect their child.

People should install the car seat to the best of their ability before coming to the clinic. Also, it is recommended that people bring the following to the appointments:

--The manual for the car seat.

--The manual for the vehicle.

--If possible, the infant/child who will use the car seat.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (320) 229-5139.

Tags: local news, car seats, news, safety