CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK IN LAREDO
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Sep 18, 2016, Comments Off
Courtesy Raul Leal,
Events focus on saving children’s lives and preventing injuries
LAREDO, TX – The week of September 18-24, 2016 is National Passenger Safety (CPASS) Week across the nation, and in Laredo, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will hold three events to educate the general and motoring public about the importance of buckling up their children in an age and size appropriate car seat.
In observance of CPASS Week, the following events have been scheduled:
- Monday, September 19, 2016, 4 p.m. – City of Laredo CPASS Mayoral Proclamation at Laredo City Hall Chambers located at 1110 Houston St., 78040
- Thursday, September 22, 2016, 10 a.m. – CPASS “Save Me With A Seat” Press Conference at K. Tarver Elementary School located at 3200 Tilden Ave., 78040
- Saturday, September 24, 2016, 8:30-11:30 a.m. – CPASS Child Car Seat Check Event at TxDOT Laredo District Office complex (rear) located at 1817 Bob Bullock Loop, 78043
The Saturday event will facilitate child car seat checks and provide hands-on instruction to parents and caregivers on how to properly install and secure children in age and size appropriate car seats. TxDOT and its traffic safety partners will insure that children will leave safer than the way they arrived to the car seat check event.
Participating agencies: Texas Department of Transportation, District Attorney for Webb and Zapata Counties, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2, Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 2, Webb County Constables Precinct 1 & 2, Texas Dept. of State Health Services Safe Riders and Hygeia Dairy Company of Laredo, all committed to help reduce the number of young lives lost on our roadways.
TxDOT reminds drivers that Texas law requires all children under 8 – unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches – to be in a car seat whenever they ride in a passenger vehicle. Failure to properly restrain a child can result in a ticket of up to $250. In 2015, 83 children younger than 8 years old were killed in crashes in Texas. In 2014, that number was 81.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3 out of 4 child car seats are not properly installed.Common child safety seat errors include: installing the seat too loosely; putting the harness straps through the wrong slots; leaving harness straps too loose; positioning the chest clip incorrectly; and using the wrong seat belt path.
