Delaware Office of Highway Safety Promotes National Child Passenger Safety Week from September 20 – 26, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist & Public Information Officer

Delaware Office of Highway Safety

Cynthia.Cavett@delaware.gov

302-744-2743

DOVER, Del. (September 21, 2020) – Child Passenger Safety Week is a nationwide campaign that spreads critical awareness and promotes all children being properly restrained in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight. This year’s CPS Week will be held from September 20-26. Car crashes are a leading cause of death nationwide in children ages 1-13, which is why caregivers must choose and use the correct car seats for their children every time. It is estimated that across the nation in 2017, approximately 325 children under the age of 5 were saved by being properly restrained in the correct car seat. To help ensure your child is in the correct seat, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety offers every Delaware resident access to learning opportunities, free resources, and more through their child passenger safety fitting stations and fitting station coordinators. Fitting station staff is available by virtual appointment to provide free education on how to properly use car seats, booster seats, and seat belts based on the child’s age and size. Nationally in 2017, nearly 2 children under the age of 13 died every day because of a car crash. Our mission is to reduce that number as much as possible by providing free child passenger safety education to parents and caregivers.

“The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is committed to keeping Delawareans safe while traveling on our roads. When you take the time to schedule an appointment with one of our child passenger safety technicians, you can ensure that you have the necessary education to protect your child by keeping them properly restrained in the event of a crash,” Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

Virtual Webinar Series

As the COVID-19 pandemic has taken over our attention and priorities, Child Passenger Safety Week looks a little bit different this year. Car crashes haven’t stopped just because there is a pandemic. Children always need to be properly restrained in the correct car seat for their age and size. The pandemic has changed our lives in many ways, in response, we have changed our CPS educational process. To protect our parents and caregivers during this time, Aubrey Klick, Fitting Station Coordinator for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, has created an educational webinar series that viewers can watch and study from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The series will be launched on the OHS website www.ArriveAliveDE.com, and the OHS social media platforms. The virtual webinar series will cover three topics including newborn safety, ages and stages, and common mistakes. The virtual webinar series is free, and we encourage anyone seeking proper car seat education to view, download, and share.

“My job is to help caregivers ensure that their car seats are properly installed in their vehicles and that their children are safely and properly restrained in their car seats. As an educator, my goal is for caregivers to feel comfortable using their child restraints and feel empowered in their child’s safety,” Aubrey Klick, Fitting Station Coordinator, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

Paid Media and Communications Campaign

The Office of Highway Safety is amplifying its education and outreach this week through the launch of a three-pronged approach to spreading awareness about child passenger safety via social media, paid media, and traditional media campaigns. Additionally, we would like to encourage parents and caregivers to visit @SafeKidsWorldwide on Facebook to participate in live online classes offered for basic awareness of child passenger safety. While there, check out Safe Kids Delaware for more information and social media on Child Passenger Safety in Delaware.

Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification

Interested in becoming a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician? You can! Certification courses are currently on hold in Delaware due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, you can stay up to date with the latest course information by visiting https://cert.safekids.org/.

Checklist of Tips for Proper Car Seat Installation and Use 

• Children should ride rear-facing and in the center of the backseat for as long as possible. This usually occurs until age 1, however, it can be longer depending on the child’s height and weight. 
• You should never attempt to secure a child with more than one seatbelt. 
• Be sure to read both the car seat’s instruction manual and the portion of your vehicle owner’s manual on car seat installation. Different seats need to be set up differently based on what vehicle the seat is going into.
• Harness straps should lie flat, not twisted, and be placed forward-facing through the slot that is at or above your child’s shoulders. If in a rear-facing seat, the harness strap should be at or below the shoulders. The harness is snug enough when extra material cannot be pinched at the shoulder. Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level.
• For more information about car seats visit: https://www.arrivealivede.com/secure-the-kids/

“Child Passenger Safety Week is a great reminder to reach out to one of our fitting stations and schedule a virtual appointment to have your child’s car seat checked. Remember, the right car seat is the one that meets your child’s age, height, weight, developmental levels, and you will use correctly 100% of the time.  Give us a call! We would love to assist you,” Shawn Rohe, Fitting Station Coordinator, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Fitting Stations

The Delaware Office of Highway Safety offers free car seat inspections at our local fitting stations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, appointments are currently being conducted virtually via phone and video. Residents in New Castle County may call Shawn Rohe at (302) 256-1123 for an appointment. Residents in Kent or Sussex County may contact Aubrey Klick at (302) 387-2324 for an appointment. For more information about child passenger safety in Delaware, visit https://ohs.delaware.gov/carseat2.shtml.

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Web Site

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About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.

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