Celebrate Child Passenger Safety Week with a Booster Seat Giveaway

Information provided by Montgomery County:

Child Passenger Safety Week is September 15 to 21, 2013. The Montgomery County Health Department joins the Elmwood Park Zoo, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and Pennsylvania Department of Health to remind families of the importance of correctly securing children in an appropriate child safety seat, booster, seat or seat belt when riding in a vehicle.

The theme for Child Passenger Safety Week 2013, “Right Seat—Buckled Tight,” reminds parents and caregivers to select the correct child safety restraints for their child’s age and size and to properly secure their children on every trip, every time. 

On Saturday, September 21, 2013, the Montgomery County Health Department will be distributing free booster seats to families at the Elmwood Park Zoo Eagle Deck, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, PA from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Paid admission to the zoo is required to receive a free booster seat. In order to be eligible the child must be present, four years old or older, 4’9” tall or shorter. Certified child passenger safety technicians will be on hand to educate families about the proper use and installation of booster seats.

Under Pennsylvania’s child passenger safety law, all drivers are responsible for securing children in the appropriate child restraint system.  All children from birth up to age four must be secured in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle.  All children age four to age eight must be secured in a seat belt system and appropriate child booster seat anywhere in the vehicle.  All children age eight and up to age 18 must be secured in a seat belt system anywhere in the vehicle.  Under Pennsylvania’s seat belt law, all drivers are responsible for the front seat occupants to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt system.  All drivers under 18 years of age may not operate a motor vehicle in which the number of passengers exceeds the number of available safety seat belts in the vehicle.

Funding for this project is supplied through PADOH Injury Grant and PennDOT CTSP.

For more information, please contact Dawn Batman, Montgomery County Health Department, Health Promotion Division at 610-278-5117 ext. 6772 or via email at dbatman@montcopa.org, or visitwww.montcopa.org/health.