Safe Kids Polk County awarded mini grant

Safe Kids Polk County was awarded the 2017 Car Seat mini grant by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Injury Prevention Program. Through the mini grant, Safe Kids Polk County, along with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Polk County Health Department work together to provide car seats and education to financially eligible families in Polk County. This program is funded by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to help ensure Georgia’s children are safe while riding in motor vehicles. It works. Since 2007, the education, car seats and booster seats provided through the mini grant program prevented serious injury or death and save over 300 of Georgia’s children who were involved in crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats reduce fatal inj uries by 71 percent among infants and by 54 percent among children ages 1 to 4 years in passenger cars. Car seats offer the best protection for children in the event of a crash, and they are most effective when installed and used correctly. Nearly three out of every four car seats are not used properly, placing children at unnecessary risk.

“It’s our responsibility to keep our children safe,” said Deputy Rachel Haddix of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. “The car seat mini-grant is a great opportunity to help our community and help protect our children from serious injuries or death in motor vehicle crashes.”

For more information about the Polk County car seat program, contact Deputy Rachel Haddix at 770-749-2937.