COLUMBIA – Children’s Trust will host a car seat check on Thursday, April 26, outside the Calhoun Building on the State House grounds off Sumter Street. The event will be open only to those working in the State House complex.

With a press conference at 10 a.m. , the event will run from 8 to 11 a.m. and feature Sen. Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington), Rep. Beth Bernstein (D-Richland), and Lexington police officer Steffonie Cockerill, a child passenger safety technician and instructor who won the Law Enforcement Technician of the Year at the 2017 Child Passenger Safety Summit.

Shealy and Bernstein were two of the lawmakers who strongly supported higher standards for child passenger safety that became law last May. This new law follows recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
This event looks to emphasize the three E’s of car seat safety efforts.

  • Evaluate how South Carolina can reduce tragically-high rates of death among children in motor vehicle accidents.

  • Enact practical, life-saving car seat safety laws. Children’s height, weight and developmental stage – not merely their age – are the key to choosing the best seat for a particular child.

  • Educate parents and caregivers about the new law and what it means for keeping their children safe in cars.

The need for education on proper child passenger safety is significant. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injuries for children older than 1 year of age. Properly-installed child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers.

It's important to receive assistance installing and using a car seat. Experts estimate that 75 percent of car seats are used incorrectly, which poses a great risk to the safety of children. There are more than 80 permanent car seat inspection stations in South Carolina where families and caregivers can receive help and tips from a certified child passenger safety technician at no cost. View a list of car seat inspection stations near you.