Media release from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety:
(ATLANTA) – The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) reminds all parents and caregivers to have their child’s car safety seat checked on a regular basis to make sure it is properly installed.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has designated September 20-26, 2026, as National Child Passenger Safety Week. During this week, parents and caregivers are encouraged to schedule an appointment to have their child’s safety seat checked at a fitting station near them.
GOHS and the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Child Occupant Safety Project (COSP) CPS caravan will have three free seat checks during the week. The caravan will start in Columbus on September 22nd from 12:00pm-2:00pm at the Boys and Girls Club at 200 Clover Lane. The caravan will have a second free seat check from 11:00am – 2:00pm on Thursday, September 24th in Norcross at St. Patrick Catholic Church located 2140 Beaver Ruin Road. The caravan will end on National Seat Check Saturday in Augusta at the Walmart on 3338 Wrightsboro Road from 11:00am-1:00pm on September 26th.
Georgia law requires all children under 57 inches to ride in a safety seat that meets the seat’s manufacturer guidelines for that child based on their height and weight. State law also requires children under eight years of age to ride in the back seat of a vehicle and all children under 16 must wear a seat belt no matter where they are riding in a vehicle.
“More than half the seats that certified CPS technicians see on the road in the United States are not properly installed and will not be as effective in protecting a child in the event of a crash,” Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety said. “We encourage all parents, grandparents and adult child caregivers to attend one of these free seat checks or to make an appointment at a fitting station that is convenient to their location.”
During the child safety seat checks, child passenger safety technicians (CPSTs) will look to see if the seat is installed properly, ensure the child safety seat is not under a recall and show parent(s)/caregiver(s) how to secure the child in the safety seat. CPSTs will also gather information about child occupants from the vehicle owner to make certain the child safety seat is appropriate for the size and age of the child.
For more information on child passenger safety in Georgia, visit the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety website at www.gahighwaysafety.org.
Comments