Car Seat Clinic set Aug. 5 in Flora
Comet staff report

Although 96% of parents nationally believe they install and use their child safety seats correctly, it is estimated that 82 percent of child safety seats are not installed and used correctly. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children age 14 and under.

Most car seats come with a 20page instruction booklet along with the vehicle's manual. Statistics show the misuse of child safety seats continues to be a major problem. Nine out of 10 child safety seats are misused in Indiana, which mirrors the national trend.

To put parent and caregivers minds at ease, Carroll County Farm Bureau Incorporated, in cooperation with Carroll/White County SAFE KIDS organization, will be sponsoring a Car Seat Clinic. A trained, certified technician will check car and booster seats.

The free car seat inspection will be held at Flora Community Park on Aug. 5 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

As an additional safety measure, on site will be IDENT-AKID, providing child identification cards. The ID cards have the child's photograph, fingerprint, weight and height, plus the parent's name, address and telephone number. The cards are a laminated, wallet-sized ID card, similar to a driver's license. Cost per child is: one card for $6, three cards for $10. Additional cards are $2 each per child. Parents should purchase enough cards so that anyone who spends time with the child has a card with them at all times, in case of an emergency.