This week is Child Passenger Safety Week, and we would like to raise awareness about properly sized and correctly installed car seats. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association found that while most parents and caregivers believe they know how to properly install their car seats, about half (48%) have installed their child’s car seat incorrectly.
It is recommended that all car seats are registered with their manufacturers in case of a safety recall.
The department is offering free car seat safety checks to ensure seats are appropriate for the child’s age and size, and that the seat is properly installed. We will also be able to assist new parents with the initial installation of a car seat, and can answer questions about child safety seats. To reach the Chelmsford Police Department’s Child Passenger Safety Seat installers, call Officer David Linstad at 978-256-2521 ext. 273, or Sgt. Shawn Brady at 978-256-2521 ext. 275.
State law requires that, all children riding in passenger vehicles must be in a federally approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured according to the manufacturer’s instructions until they are eight years old or over 57 inches tall.