National Child Passenger Safety Week will be observed across the country from September 15 through 21, and Governor Andy Beshear is encouraging Kentuckians to take the basic steps to protect their children when on the road.
The governor said the state would be joining observation of the week during his Team Kentucky Update Thursday. Beshear said the annual awareness campaign encourages drivers to make sure they are using car seats properly, something the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show is not always the case.
“It shows that 46 percent of car seats are being misused around the United States,” Beshear said. “I mean, think about that. We have car seats to protect our children. I think everyone wants to protect their child when they’re putting them in a car seat. That means we should really think about the fact that so many of them are being misused, and get the information out there.”
Beshear encouraged Kentuckians to talk with a NHTSA-approved expert to make sure their child is using the right seat, and to attend a car seat check up event which is typically hosted by area fire and health departments.
“To find out more about checkup events and car seat resources, visit KentuckyHighwaySafety.com and click the Safety Programs tab,” Beshear said. “Folks, this won’t take you long. It’s a couple of websites and maybe spending a few minutes at a checkup, but if 46 percent of people are misusing car seats, it might be you, and I know you want what’s best for your child.”
Beshear said on the positive side, seat belt use in Kentucky is up 3.4 percent over the last two years, and highway fatalities are down 15 percent from last year.
