CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. –(CLARKSVILLENOW) The Citizens Police Academy Alumni provided the perfect kickoff for Child Passenger Safety Week 2017 by generously donating $1,000 worth of child safety seats to the Clarksville Police Department.
Child Passenger Safety Week is September 17 through 23.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, car crashes are the leading cause of death for children. In 2015, over one-third of children under 13 that were killed in a car crash were not restrained in car seats, booster seats or seat belts.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has determined car seat use reduces the risk for death to infants by 71% and to toddlers by 54% in passenger vehicles. Furthermore, use of a booster seat reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children aged 4-8 years when compared with seat belt use alone.
The Clarksville Police Department will be partnering with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office on Sept 23, 2017 at Once Upon A Child from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and then move to Toys “R” Us from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to offer free car seat inspections and education to the public as part of National Seat Check Saturday.
Car seats, booster seats, and seat belts are often used incorrectly, which is why CPD and MCSO are hosting a car seat check event. In one recent Child Safety Seat inspection event, 16 out of 23 child car seats had an installation error or needed an adjustment to properly restrain the child in the seat.