TENNESSEE, USA — It is National Child Passenger Safety Week, and East Tennessee deputies and officials want to help you keep your children safe.
According to the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 13 in America. This is largely due to the improper use of car seats, boosters and seat belts.
This week, thousands of departments and organizations across the country will offer free car seat inspections and information sessions on child safety, including sites here in East Tennessee.
The Sevierville Police Department will conduct free child car safety seat fittings and a check event on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chick-fil-A on 770 Winfield Dunn Parkway.
At this event, certified department technicians will offer a variety of services to ensure child safety, including answering questions about booster seats, providing safety recommendations and ensuring that seats are properly installed, SPD says.
Can't make it today? No problem! The department says that parents can have their safety seats checked at SPD year-round. Before coming to the department, officials asks that you contact 865-868-1866 to ensure a technician is available.
In addition to SPD, The Blount County Sheriff's office will host a child safety seat clinic on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024 at the Blount County Justice Center at 940 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville. The clinic will take place from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.
BCSO says that trained and certified child passenger safety seat technicians will be on hand to provide child car installations. Have to miss out? No worries! In addition to Saturday, the office will hold two additional safety seat clinics on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Townsend Elementary School and Saturday, Nov. 16 at Carpenters Elementary School.
Finally, the Knoxville Police Department will host a free Child Safety Seat Checkpoint event on Tuesday, Sept. 23 from 5-8 p.m. During the event, child car seats can be inspected by a certified technician to ensure proper use or installation, KPD says. Valuable safety tips and recommendations will also be offered.
KPD hosts these events on the second Saturday of every month at 917 E. Fifth Ave. According to KPD's website, these checkpoints will now be offered on the fourth Tuesday of every month as well.
For more information about child passenger safety, click here.
To find the nearest car inspection site to you, visit nhtsa.gov.
