GEORGETOWN, Del. - On Thursday, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, in collaboration with Safe Kids Delaware, hosted a free car seat check event at DelTech in Georgetown, to ensure car seats were correctly installed and enhance child safety in vehicles.
Juanita Smith, a child passenger safety technician instructor with 15 years of experience in Delaware, highlighted the state's critical issue of car seat misuse.
"Four out of five car seats are misused in the State of Delaware, so that's a pretty big number, and we want to cut into that as much as possible," said Smith.
Courtesy of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.
Kyle Marvel, a certified technician who recently renewed his certification, discussed the local traffic concerns and the importance of proper car seat installation.
"There are a lot of crashes on our roads. I know down here in Sussex, we have to investigate a lot of these collisions, and those passengers in the car, the children in the car, are more susceptible to severe injuries in those types of crashes," Marvel explained. "The only way to prevent them from that is installing these car seats and installing them appropriately and correctly and educating the parents or caregivers on how to do that."
Smith, who is also a parent, shared the motivations behind her dedication to the cause. "If we can help you take that burden, and that's a pretty scary burden, car accidents are scary in and of themselves and traveling on the road, and you are concerned about speed, drunk drivers, and so many other things, so if we can eliminate this one worry, that's a huge thing off of the new parents' plate, so that's why I do it," she added.
For Delaware residents interested in a free car seat inspection, here is how to schedule one with a child passenger safety technician:
- New Castle County: Wilmington DMV, call or text 302-256-1123
- Kent County: Dover DMV, call or text 302-387-2324
- Sussex County: Specific location provided upon scheduling, call or text 302-242-7107
Appointments can also be made with a certified officer at the closest Delaware State Police station, based on their availability.
