According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 96 percent of parents believe their children are properly buckled into their car safety seats and booster seats. Yet, the American Automobile Association finds that 96 percent of child-restraining devices in Illinois are misused or improperly installed, putting young passengers at risk for serious injury.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. In the United States during 2004, 1,638 children ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes and approximately 214,000 were injured. That’s an average of 5 deaths and more than 586 injuries each day. Of the children ages 0 to 14 years who were killed in motor vehicle crashes during 2004, half were unrestrained. Most of these injuries could have been prevented. Placing children in an age and a size appropriate restraint system reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half. Through education, training, enforcement, outreach and legislation, NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) seeks to ensure that all children ages 0-16 are properly restrained in the correct restraint system for their age and size every time they travel in a motor vehicle. While great progress has been achieved in recent years in preventing child occupant deaths and injuries and increasing the correct use of child safety seats, booster seats and safety belts – thanks in no small measure to the tireless dedication of NHTSA and its many partners like the Burbank Police Department in the child passenger safety community – more work needs to be done to protect child occupants who remain at heightened risk.

Remember, the best child safety seat is the one that fits your child properly, is easy to use, and fits in your vehicle correctly. The best way to ensure a proper fit in your vehicle is to try installing the child seat before purchasing. To be certain you've installed your child safety or booster seat correctly have it checked at a child safety seat inspection station such as the Burbank Police Department or by a certified child passenger safety technician.

To set up an appointment to have your seat installed or inspected, contact:

(708) 924-7300 or e-mail her at KKush@Burbankil.gov
The Police Department is located at 5650 W. 75th Pl, 1/4 block west of Central Ave. on 75th Pl.

OR

Captain David Gilgenberg, Burbank Fire Department Coordinator, at (708) 599-7766 or e-mail him at DGilgenberg@Burbankil.gov

The Fire Stations are located at 6530 W. 79th St. and 8455 S. Mayfield.

Links: http://www.safekids.org
http://www.cpsboard.org