Safe and Snug Car Seat Class/Clinic

7 - 9 p.m. Tuesday, January 25, 2011 in the Adams Room - Lumpkin Family Center for Health Education at Sarah Bush Lincoln.

While proper use of child safety seats help keep children safe, more than 80 percent of car seats in the United States are improperly used and/or installed. To help protect children, the Mattoon Police Department and Sarah Bush Lincoln are hosting "Safe and Snug," a car seat safety class and clinic, from 7 to 9 pm Tuesday, January 25, in the Lumpkin Family Center for Health Education.

Car seat safety information will be provided by Mattoon police officers who are also certified car seat technicians. A discussion and question and answer period will be included. Parents or expectant parents are asked to bring their vehicle with their child's car seat installed in it if possible. A car seat technician will assess it, ensuring that it is properly installed, and that it is the right seat for your child.

While most children harmed during motor vehicle accidents are unrestrained or improperly restrained, appropriate laws can help encourage parents to protect their children. The state of Illinois requires that all children from birth through eight years old must be properly restrained in an appropriate car seat, and it should be checked by a state-certified car seat check to ensure it is properly installed.

Sarah Bush Lincoln recommends that car seats be checked prior to an expectant mother's 36^th week of pregnancy when possible. However, new parents who would like to have their infant's car seat checked are encouraged to attend as well. The car seat clinic is free, but expectant and new parents must register. The class is limited to 16 car seats. To pre-register, call the Office of Perinatal Education at Sarah Bush Lincoln at (217) 258- or 348-BABY (2229) or page Pamela Hood, RN, at 1-800-702-0376 between 10 am and 7 pm.

Register for the Safe and Snug Car Seat Class