'Everybody loves their kids': Course teaches proper child seat installation techniques

Experts from Child Safety Link and the Insurance Bureau of Canada were at Cornwall Town Hall Monday teaching a course in proper child seat installation.

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Highway safety inspection officers as well as employees fromIsland hospitals, First Nations Health, and family resource centres were being trained.

Parents and caregivers were invited to have their car and booster seats checked to ensure they were put in correctly.

Number one threat

KatherineHutka, health promotion specialist for child passenger safety for Child Safety Link, says that misuse of car seats are the main problem.

She said that while "99.9 per cent" of parents use child seats, some don't use them correctly.

"Motor vehicle collisions are the number one cause of injury and death of children under 14 in Canada," she said.

"Car seats and booster seats when used properly save lives."

'Everybody loves their kids'

Pat Dowling, a motor vehicle inspection officer with the province, was going through the course for a second time, a refresher from his first time three years ago.

He said that people can be charged for improper installation, but educating the public is the goal.

"Everybody loves their kids," said Dowling.

"The more information you have, the easier it is to be able to put it in yourself. If you have two cars you can take it out of one and put it in the other one safely."

Parents can make an appointment to have their child safety seats checked by contacting Chances Family ResourceCentre.

Making sure

Jennifer Whittinghamcame in to have her car seat checked by the newly trained staff.

She said there were shoulder straps on her child's car seat that didn't come with it. She learned that unless the straps come with the seat, they shouldn't be used.

"I just wanted to make sure it was installed properly," said Whittingham. "Just wanted to make sure his car seat is safe."

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