SIDNEY — The Sidney Police Department and the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department will be at the Shelby County Health Department (202 W. Poplar Street, Sidney, Ohio) conducting Free Child Safety Seat Inspections on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Anyone who transports children in a child safety seat is encouraged to stop by between the hours of 10 AM and 1 PM. Stop by and learn all about the proper installation of a child safety seat and if the seat meets current safety standards. This will be a great time to ask questions about child safety restraints and child seat needs. Safety awareness and use of child safety seats among U.S. parents are rather high, but traffic crashes are still a leading cause of death of children. Car seat statistics show that many young lives can be saved by using appropriate restraint systems the right way.

Overview of statistics on car seat usage and safety:

• Motor vehicle traffic crashes are a leading cause of death of children in the U.S.

• Each year, about 5,000 children are involved in car crashes, 18% are unrestrained.

• Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants, 54% for toddlers.

• The safest place for a car seat is the rear middle seat.

• Children up to 12 months have the highest restraint use (91%), ages 13 to 14 the lowest (29%).

• 49% of child safety seats in the U.S. are installed or used improperly.

• About 7.5% of children 1 to 3 years old are prematurely transitioned to booster seats.

• One in 5 parents says it’s acceptable to leave their child unrestrained for short trips.

• 56% of children are unrestrained when the driver is alcohol-impaired.

• The total cost of car crash occupants’ injuries in the U.S. is $283 billion annually.

This is the Kickoff Campaign for Click-it or Ticket traffic safety event.