Health Department Provides Free Car Seats, Safety Instructions

Ensuring children remain safe while traveling in a car is the goal of the DuPage County Health Department’s Child Car Seat Program. Held in conjunction with the Carelink Foundation, this program distributes free car seats to low-income families. In April, for example, the Health Department distributed more 100 car seats to needy families to keep their children safe.

To receive a free car seat, parents must attend safety classes that are taught in both English and Spanish. Illinois law requires children to ride in front-facing booster seats until age 8. After that, if the lap and shoulder belt fit properly, children can use adult safety belts. All children under age 13 should ride in the back seat.

Anyone with questions about this Child Car Seat Program, should call the Health Department at (630) 682-7400. If you already have a car seat installed, you may check on proper installation by calling the Health Department’s Safekids phone line at (630) 221-7162.

The free car seats are made available by the Health Department through a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation. Upcoming parent safety instruction classes are scheduled on Saturdays on June 4, June 11, July 2 and July 9 at Pediatric Health Associates, 946 North Neltnor, Suite 120, in West Chicago. The English class is at noon and the Spanish class is at 1:30 p.m.

An additional class will be held on Saturday, June 25, at Loaves & Fishes, 1871 High Grove Lane, Naperville. Class times are also at noon for English and 1:30 pm for Spanish. Please call (630) 682-7400 to reserve your space in any of the classes. You must call and make a reservation for the class you wish to attend.

To qualify, you must have KidCare, Family Care, Access DuPage, WIC (Women, Infants and Children) or show specific need.

In an emergency go to www.protectdupage.org and tune to WDCB 90.9 FM radio.

Additional information about car seats and Carelink is available on the Carelink Foundation’s website, www.carelinkfoundation.org. Carelink’s mission is to close the gap in health disparities among homeless and low-income minority populations where English is not the primary language. Carelink provides a variety of health-related services to uninsured or underinsured children living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Information on the Carelink website is in both English and Spanish.

DuPage County residents are also reminded about the importance of wearing seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research shows that when lap and shoulder belts are used properly, the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passengers is reduced by 45 percent in cars and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans. Buckling your seat belt can also save a ticket if you are stopped by a law enforcement officer.