By Staci DaSilva
sdasilva@kcautv.com
For some kids, it's just as easy as buckling up.
Jocelyn Wieck, of North Sioux City said, "Because if you don't, if you get in a car accident, you might fall off the seat and hit your head."
But for the little ones, car seat safety is in the hands of their parents. And studies show 80% of the time, parents do it wrong.
Mercy Medical Center's Amy Scarmon said, "Sometimes it's just the way the straps fit on the child, sometimes it's just the way the seat is installed, and there's just a lot of things to know about car seats that people in general don't know, so we're just here to educate."
So Mercy Medical Center teamed up with Sioux City Ford Lincoln for Saturday's car seat check-up event.
Sioux City Ford Lincoln's Sam Burrish said, "Child safety is something that's very important to us. And this is a fantastic way to raise awareness and to also provide community service."
While sometimes, the tips are for convenience, other times, it's a real safety threat if the driver were to get in an accident.
"There's a chance the seat could come unbuckled or if the child wasn't in the seat properly, the child could come out in a crash or be injured," said Scarmon.
The two most important tips discussed:
Pay attention to expiration dates. Every car seat has one, and if it doesn't, just remember the number 6. That's how many years a car seat is good for.
Also, don't move your child on to a booster seat or regular seat belt too early. Many parents do.
So take these tips seriously. After all, you're protecting your most precious cargo.
