Safe Seats

The safety of my children is so important to me, and I take car travel pretty seriously. With my boys getting bigger and entering that "do I still really have to have a booster mom?!" phase it can be tricky. I ran across this info on Cristine Strickland's website and thought it was definitely blog worthy. If you are in the beautiful state of Colorado I hope this information helps you and your kiddos! Thanks Cristine :)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 30, 2010
Contacts
Corp. Eric Wynn, Colorado State Patrol,
303-239-4537
Heather Halpape, CDOT, 303-757-9484


Colorado’s Youngest Passengers get a ‘Boost’ as New Law Takes Effect Aug. 1^st
~ Booster Blitz Events planned across the state to help educate parents & kids ~
Denver – Colorado expands its child passenger safety law beginning Sunday, Aug. 1^st requiring all children under age 8 to be properly protected in a child safety seat when traveling in a motor vehicle.  The change means thousands of 6- and 7-year-olds across the state will have to begin riding in booster seats if they are not already doing so.  Previously, the law required only 4 and 5-year-olds to be in boosters.

“The state has taken a big step forward in protecting kids from serious crash injuries that result from wearing seat belts that were simply not designed to protect small bodies,” said Col. James Wolfinbarger, chief of the Colorado State Patrol.  “Many parents mistakenly believe that a seat belt is enough to protect their older child in a crash, but we know booster seats are a safer option because they lift the child up and position the seat belt safely across them.”

Children ages 4 to 7 who use booster seats are 45% less likely to be injured in a crash compared children who are restrained only by seat belts. In Colorado from 2004 through 2008, 28 children ages 4 to 7 were killed in traffic crashes. Twenty of them were improperly restrained, totally unrestrained or using only the vehicle seat belt.

“It is important that we give children an opportunity for a brighter future by giving them the best odds of surviving a crash and avoiding serious injuries,” said Dr. Todd Porter of Safe Kids Denver Metro .  “For children who have outgrown a car seat, a booster seat is the next best thing to truly protect them.  It literally lifts the child up so that the lap belt rests across hip bones to protect internal organs, and it positions the shoulder strap so it rests across the collar bone instead of on the neck or falling off the shoulder.”

In addition to expanding the use of booster seats, the revised law gives parents more flexibility in choosing the best safety seat for their child or baby, as long as they adhere to the upper weight and height limits set by the seat’s manufacturer and follow installation instructions.  However, the law does set the following minimum requirements:

• Babies under 1 year old and less than 20 pounds must ride in a rear-facing car seat and only in the back seat of the vehicle.
• Once babies turn 1 year old and weigh at least 20 pounds, the law gives them the option of using a front-facing car seat. Rear-facing car seats are still allowed by law and safety experts recommend that parents continue using them to the upper weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer because it provides the most protection.
• Children ages 4, 5, 6 and 7 must continue to be protected in a child safety restraint. For most kids in this age group that means a booster seat, but experts recommend that children remain in a forward-facing car seat longer if the upper weight limit of the seat allows it (usually 40-50 pounds).
• When a child turns 8, the law allows them to use a vehicle seat belt. But for the best protection, safety experts recommend that kids continue to use a booster seat until they are at least 4’9” tall, which half of children will not reach until they are 11 years old.
• The minimum fine is $82 per violation. All child passenger safety violations are primary enforcement. There is a one-year education period for booster seat violations only.

To assist parents in determining the best child safety seat for their child and to make sure it is installed properly, there is a network of more than 140 “fitting stations” across the state as part of CPS Team Colorado.  Most of the fit stations offer free assistance for parents, including car seat checks to make sure seats are installed properly.  For parents facing financial hardship, some fit stations provide car seats at a reduced price or for a small donation. Parents can find a fit station closest to them by visiting www.carseatscolorado.com or calling toll free 1-877-LUV-TOTS or 303-239-4625 in Metro Denver.
Over the next several weeks, CPS Team Colorado, Safe Kids Colorado and safety advocates across the state will host special events to provide more information about booster seats and the expanded law.  Some of the events will include an opportunity for kids to “bling” their booster by decorating and customizing it.
“Your child’s safety should not be negotiable, but it doesn’t have to be a battle either,” said Selena Silva of The Children’s Hospital.   “We suggest parents include booster-age kids in the process by allowing them to help pick out their booster and even decorate it.  Let them know the booster is for their safety and point out benefits like a better view out the window!”
The following is a list of statewide events over the next few weeks where parents can get help and advice from trained child passenger safety technicians:

Saturday, July 31
Denver, CO
Booster Seat Saturday – Safe Kids Denver Metro
St. Anthony Central Hospital – Kuhlman building parking lot
4001 W. 16^th (corner of 16^th & Perry)
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 3

Edwards, CO
Booster Seat Blitz at National Night Out
Freedom Park
450 Miller Ranch Road
4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Yuma, CO
National Night Out – Car Seat Check Event
Yuma Community Center
421 East 2^nd Avenue
5 to 8 p.m.

Friday, August 6^th

Denver, CO
Child Seat Check Event
Eastside Family Health Center
501 28^th Street in Five Points
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 7^th

Colorado Springs, CO
Booster Seat Blitz at KKTV 11 Kid’s Day Event
Mr. Bigg’s
5825 Mark Dabling Blvd.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lakewood, CO
Whole Foods Back to School Safety Event
with West Metro Fire & St Anthony Hospitals
Whole Foods Belmar Store
444 S. Wadsworth Blvd
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friday, August 13^th

Fort Collins, CO
Booster Seat Blitz with Safe Kids Larimer County
Salud Family Health Clinic – 1635 Blue Spruce Drive
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Grand Junction, CO
Booster Seat Blitz and Car Seat Check
Mesa County Health Department
530 29 ½ Road
8:30 a.m. to Noon

Saturday, August 14 – Booster Blitz Saturday!

Akron, CO
Car Seat Check Event
Washington County Connections
77 Main Street
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bayfield, CO
Booster Seat Blitz – Bling Your Booster!
Eagle Park
160 Business Route
10 a.m. to Noon

Black Forest, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
Black Forest Festival
Shoup Rd. & Black Forest Rd.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Broomfield, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
Presented by North Suburban Medical Center
K-Mart
5005 W. 120^th Avenue
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Commerce City, CO
Booster Seat Blitz (Spanish-speaking technicians available)
Rancho Liborio
6040 East 64^th Avenue
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Cortez, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
Location TBD
10 a.m. to Noon
For info call SUCAP, Diane Downing  970-563-9907
Delta, CO
Booster Seat Blitz – Western Regional Occupant Safety Coalition
Hellman Chevrolet
900 Main Street
10 a.m. to Noon

Eagle, CO
Booster Seat Blitz –Bling Your Booster!
Eagle Swimming Pool
1700 Bull Pasture Road
Noon to 3 p.m.

Greeley, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
Greeley Mall, exact location TBD
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Ignacio, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
SUCAP
295 Lakin Street
10 a.m. to Noon

Lamar, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
Lamar State Patrol Office
111 W. Parmenter Street
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pueblo, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
Wal-Mart
78 North McCulloch Blvd.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Silverton, CO
Booster Seat Blitz
Location TBD
10 a.m. to Noon
For info call SUCAP, Diane Downing at 970-563-9907

Sunday, August 15^th

Denver, CO
Booster Seat Blitz – Bling Your Booster!
Real Baby
3600 W. 32^nd Avenue
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept 1^st

Wray, CO
Car Seat Check Event
Wray Community Hospital parking lot
520 Adams Street
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.