KENT COUNTY, Mich. -- Deputies in West Michigan are trying to keep children safe before they're involved in a crash.
According to the county sheriff's office, only five percent of residents in Kent County have their car seats properly installed. In order to lower that statistic, two of their community policing officers have recently become nationally certified car seat safety technicians.
When deputies noticed no one in their office was currently certified, they reached out to State Farm Insurance for assistance. Insurance Agent, Marsha Veenstra quickly became their sponsor.
The two deputies took part in four day-long sessions, training with the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Injury Prevention Program, taking away knowledge of the top mistakes parents make.
According to the program, the number one mistake that parents make is they don't make the harness tight enough. To check for proper tightness, Injury Prevention Specialist at Helen DeVos, Jennifer Hoekstra, recommends doing a pinch test. "If you're taking your thumb and your first finger and you're coming to the shoulder of the child, you should not be able to pinch or grasp any harness," she says.
The program also recommends fleece over bulky jackets. Hoekstra claims that in the event of a crash, the puffy fabric compresses very quickly. That in turn allows movement within the harness, which could lead to injury, ejection, or even death.gran
Another major issues is loose installation. Of the two deputies, Mandy Bernal-Hall says since car seats come in different shapes, it's important to find the right fit for your child and vehicle.
Health experts also say the longer your child can remain rear facing, the safer they will be, and that most convertible car seats will seat children up to 40 lbs.
There will be afree car seat check at the Grand Rapids Fire Department location at 2541 Kalamazoo Avenue in Grand Rapids on Thursday, December 20th from noon to 3:30 p.m.
You do need to make an appointment by contacting 616-391-7233 or sending an email injuryprevention@helendevoschildrens.org.
