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Parents learn to install safety seats correctly

By Blackwell Thomas, The Southern

Saturday, February 16, 2008 11:10 PM CST

CARBONDALE - Safety seats may be meant for infants and toddlers but installing the restraints is anything but child's play.

Officials from the Illinois Safe Kids Coalition estimate 80 to 90 percent of child safety seats are installed incorrectly. To help parents set up the safety seats properly, officials from Safe Kids Coalition were at Vic Koenig Chevrolet in Carbondale on Saturday offering free inspection and safety seat installation.

The free inspections come as part of a project by Southern Illinois University Carbondale public relations students who, as part of a nationwide contest, are charged with promoting child passenger safety.

Darrell Patterson, state coordinator for Safe Kids Coalition, said installing the seats isn't easy work.

"We take 30 hours of training to get certified to install them," he said. "When parents come in with (safety seats) improperly installed, it's usually just a matter of tightening the seat more so it moves less than an inch in any direction."

To play it safe when purchasing the seats, Patterson said it's important to find one that fits the vehicle you'll be driving and the child who will be using it and to not buy second-hand seats. But Patterson added that putting out big bucks is no guarantee that you are buying the right seat.

"Lots of parents think the most expensive seat is the best - not true," he said. "The best seat is the one that fits best in the vehicle, whether it's a van or a sedan."

SIUC seniors Megan Truscelli, Jamey Dunn, Amanda Reid, Hillary Popejoy and Kellee Monahan have worked since November on promoting child safety seats as part of a contest run by the Public Relations Student Society of America.

The safety seat inspection is just one part of the contest, which will see the group's performance gauged against other participating public relations students from across the country.

Together, the group said getting behind a non-profit effort to promote child safety was one they could easily support.

Charles Yesudas has three children, ages 8, 6 and 3, and said he packs the family up for long road trips on a regular basis and, for that reason, he's happy to take advantage of the free inspection.

"I thought it would be prudent to get (the seat) checked by people who know how to get it done," he said.

For those interested in having safety seats checked, the Carbondale Police Department offers the service free of charge Thursday afternoons. For more information, contact Carbondale Police at 457-3200.

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com / 351-5823