News Release                   For Immediate Release

October 25, 2004

New Website Launched to Help with Car Seats

Choosing the right car seat and installing it correctly has long been a challenge for parents and caregivers.  Statistics from car seat clinics held in Grey/Bruce show that over 80% of child car seats are incorrectly installed.  A correctly installed car seat can reduce the likelihood of injury or death in a collision by up to 75%.  “It’s not because parents and caregivers don’t care about their children’s safety,” says Sandy Rennick, Public Health Nurse in the Injury Prevention program at the Public Health Unit.  “It’s due to the fact that car seats are notoriously difficult to use and people simply need help to ensure that they’re used properly.”

Public Health Nurses have developed a new section of the Public Health Unit’s website that focuses on the details of car seat safety in order to provide parents and caregivers with 24-hour access to answers to car seat safety questions.  Printable checklists are available on the site for topics such as buying a car seat, using a used car seat, harnessing a child in the seat, and installing the seat in the vehicle.  The website also includes a “car seat safety calculator” where a child’s age and weight can be entered into the computer and results appear to show parents and caregivers the type of car seat best suited to the child.  “These are just some of the topics included in this website,” Rennick says.  “We’re hoping that by providing parents and caregivers with a website that is easy to navigate and provides answers to almost every car seat safety question, we can continue to make progress in keeping our children safe on the roads.”   For more information, visit the website at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca , and click on “Injury Prevention”, then “Road Safety.”

-30-

For more information:

Sandy Rennick, RN, B.Sc.N

Public Health Nurse

Injury Prevention Program

376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456, ext. 411