Driving this summer? Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU’s guide to kids’ travel safety

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Since many children are at risk due to child safety seats being installed incorrectly, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is helping to provide peace of mind.

The hospital will offer free car seat checks as the summer travel season approaches from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, at VCU Health at Parham Road, located at 7818 E. Parham Road. The event will see certified child passenger safety technicians sharing tips for keeping children safe while driving.

“As families are preparing to hit the road for summer fun, we want to make sure they’re doing so as safely as possible,” said Corri Miller-Hobbs, RN, Safe Kids Virginia program coordinator. “There is a lot to consider when installing and ensuring proper fit of a child safety seat for each specific child. Certified child passenger safety technicians have training in the essential details of making sure infants and children are secured as safely as possible and we’re here to help.” 

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, correctly installed car seats can reduce the risk of vehicle deaths by as much as 71%, while more than half of all car seats are not installed properly.

These technicians from the hospital and other local agencies will provide parents and families one-on-one inspections of child safety seats in each car. They will also review your current seat installation and adjust the seats.

The free event is supported by a grant from State Farm as part of the Good Neighbor Car Seat Safety Program.