The week of September 20-26 is Child Passenger Safety Week. In an interview with Spectrum News, Trooper Serena Trodella of the Massachusetts State Police Traffic Programs Section in Milford spoke on the importance of a properly installed car seat for children.
Trooper Trodella, “Nationally, nearly half of all car seats and booster seats are either misused or improperly installed. Having a properly installed correctly used car seat or booster seat can decrease the risk of injury or even death in a child. Massachusetts state law says that between birth and eight years old or over 57 inches tall, a child must be in a federally approved child restraint system that’s properly installed.”
Trooper Trodella said if an adult has a concern if they have the correct car seat or it’s installed property the Massachusetts State Police will assist free of charge, “The State Police have certified technicians that are able to install car seats or to check your installation of the car seat to make sure that it’s installed correctly and being used properly. We have a phone number you can call us at to set up an appointment at 774-462-3766.”
Trooper Trodella concluded that just having a car seat is not enough, “The goal isn’t simply just to have that car seat in the vehicle. It’s to have it installed properly and to be used correctly every single time. It’s going to decrease that risk of injury or death significantly to have it installed correctly.”
More information on car seat installation can be found here on the Commonwealth’s web site.
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