Sheriff’s office receives car seats to give to families that are in need
The safety of some of Polk County’s youngest passengers is at the heart of a recent donation to the Polk County Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s department of Polk Safe Kids.
Officials announced last week that Polk Safe Kids received 30 new Graco car seats to be distributed to Polk County families who need one following completion of an educational course for proper installation by the office’s trained car seat technicians.
The donation was approved and delivered after Cpl. Rachel Haddix completed the documentation necessary and in a timely manner to receive this Graco in-kind donation for Safe Kids Polk County. The value of the new car seats is $6,119.68.
The sheriff’s office thanks Graco, Newell Brands Co. and Safe Kids Georgia for helping to protect the children of our county.
Georgia state law requires child passengers to be restrained in a car seat or booster seat appropriate for their height and weight until the age of 8. Research shows car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% with infants and 54% with toddlers in passenger vehicles.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates a child under 13 was involved in a traffic crash every 32 seconds in 2018.
In addition, NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seat.
Once a child outgrows the rear-facing size limits, the child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness. After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat with harness, children should be placed in booster seats until they’re the right size to use seat belts safely. And if children are under 13 years old, they should always sit in the back seat.
For more information on child passenger safety in Georgia, visit the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety website at www.gahighwaysafety.org or on GOHS social media channels.