Texas Children’s Childhood Injury Prevention Center reports that 4 out of 5 car seats are installed and/or used wrong. In an effort to help keep children safe, HCEC and Safe Kids Greater Houston are working to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries to children by providing free car seat checkups every month.

The two organizations teamed up on April 12, 2016 to check car seats at the Aldine Fire Department, Station 31 on Imperial Valley. Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians checked to make sure seats were properly installed and gave hands-on advice to parents and caregivers on how to choose the right car seat for every child’s age and size. They also handed out free car seats to children in need.

HCEC medics helped dozens parents and care givers ensure their car seats were appropriate for their child and fit them properly. Certified car seat technicians spent about 30 minutes with each parent or care giver, teaching them how to install their children’s car seat correctly.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and serious injury for children over 1 year old. Texas law requires all children younger than 8 years old, or shorter than 4’9″ tall to ride in a safety seat that is appropriate for their size and height. Additionally, all passengers, no matter the age, must ride buckled up whether in the front or back seat.