Remember when people thought the safest place for a child to ride in a car was in Mama’s arms? Well, it’s not that way anymore and there are laws that specifically state where and how children should be placed in a vehicle.
Locally, ensuring that children are safely and lawfully positioned in cars falls under the assistance of Safe Kids Toombs County and that effort is directed by Vidalia Fire Department’s Captain Robert Tillman who states that laws in Georgia dictate children up to age 12 OR 5 feet 9 inches must ride in some type of booster seat and be positioned in the backseats if possible.
Capt. Tillman said Safe Kids Toombs County, along with 8 other coalitions, were recently awarded grants called Black Rock to ensure children’s safety in vehicles. The grant included 24 cars seats that must be distributed through Toombs County by April 14. To do so, Safe Kids Toombs County will be holding a car seat inspection Saturday, March 27, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Vidalia Fire Department on Pine Street.
However, the event is NOT a car seat giveaway; rather, it is an inspection. But, if car seats in vehicles are found defective or not as safe as the ones provided through the grant, Safe Kids will be installing a new car seat as provided for by the grant.
Capt. Tilman says inspections are necessary because in the hundreds of seats he and his teams have inspected, only about 1 in 5 child car seats were property installed.