Child Passenger Safety
Child Passenger Safety
Leadville Lake County Fire Rescue currently has two child passenger safety technicians, Capt. Russ Austin and Engineer John Ortiz. We would like to offer free inspections for all car seats that are currently in use. For a child passenger safety inspection contact John Ortiz at 719-486-2990 or email: jortiz@leadvillefire.org
A typical inspection includes the following:
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Insure proper car seat for child by checking harness system in car seat
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Insure proper position of car seat
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Checking for correct vehicle seat belt position to child seat
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Check for recalls on car seats
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Check for age of seat (Limit of 5 years)
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Insure that car seat has not been "handed" down
Facts
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At least 8 of 10 car seats are incorrectly used
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Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of childhood deaths
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Motor vehicle crashes account for nearly 42% of all unintentional childhood injury-related deaths (ages 0-14)
Myths
"I can hold my baby in a crash."
The forces in a crash are so great that it is impossible for any person to hold onto a babies body during a crash. If the adult is also unrestrained, he/she is likely to crush the child.
"Restraints are uncomfortable, for me and my child."
People who get in the habit of buckling up find it uncomfortable to ride without them and it is a lot more uncomfortable to be injured. Poor fitting belts can be made more comfortable.
" I am a good driver, so I won't get into a crash."
You can never predict or control what other drivers will do, or how the weather may have changed the roadway. In every multi-vehicle crash there is a least one "good" driver struck by a "bad" driver.
"I am only going down the street to the store. I'll never get hit there. I always buckle-up when I go on the highway."
Most crashes happen close to home. Roads and streets are more hazardous than super highways because traffic is usually going two ways and there are many intersections and distractions. Also local streets are not designed well for crash avoidance.
Super highways are less hazardous because they have one-way traffic only, good signs, lighting at intersection and gradual curves. Guard rails and break-away poles help to minimize incidents or crashes that do occur.
