Mt. Prospect offers child safety seat checks Saturday

The Mount Prospect Police Department will conduct a National Seat Check Saturday event on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the east commuter train lot, 11 E. Northwest Hwy. Certified child passenger safety technicians will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to check car seats for proper installation and advise parents and caregivers on how to choose the right car seats and install them properly in their vehicles.

The event is part of Mount Prospect's participation in National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 14-20, and is free.

"Car seats, booster seats and seat belts are often used incorrectly," said Officer Greg Sill. "No parent wants to ever get it wrong when it comes to their children's safety."

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seats. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, he/she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness. After outgrowing their car seats, children should be placed in booster seats. The law in Illinois states a child must be in a booster seat until their 8th birthday. However, some children are not tall enough at age 8 for the seat belt to fit them like an adult so they need to stay in a booster seat longer. All children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat.