Westport Police Department offers inspection tips on child safety seats

Westport Police Department offers inspection tips on child safety seats.

EverythingWestport.com

Saturday, September 13, 2008

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Westport police officers Mike Roussel, Barry Beaulieu, and Westport police administrative assistant Nancy Braga were on hand at the at the dental offices of Doctor Ahearn at 302 Village Way, Westport on Saturday to inspect and review child seat safety practices for any town resident visiting them at the first of two Child Passenger Safety Events conducted by the Westport Police Department.

“Officer Mike Roussel is a trained instructor in child seat safety practices,” said Nancy Braga. “He is thoroughly familiar with proper child seat installation and use.”

During the event, child safety seat technicians inspected children's seats to ensure that they were properly installed and safe for children to travel in. The Child Passenger Safety Events are open to the general public, and all are encouraged to come.

“Never buy a used child seat unless you know its history and the seat hasn’t gone by its expiration date,” officer Roussel said. “A child seat involved in an accident may be compromised, and could fail in a future accident.” Asked about the expiration date, Officer Roussel explained, “Every child seat has a date of manufacture. A seat six years or older from date of manufacture is out-of-date and can’t legally be used in a vehicle, as is any seat without a manufacturer’s label.”

Susan Sharpe of Westport (pictured with officer Roussel below) brought in a child safety seat for a check-up and was surprised to learn not only about the expiration date issue, but that her seat was out-of-date. “I’m so happy I came by,” Ms. Sharpe said. This seat was to be used for my new granddaughter!”

“The wide range of temperature changes in a vehicle, and UV deterioration of a seat’s materials when installed in a vehicle come into play after several years of child safety seat use,” officer Roussel said. “Stress points may develop from constant seat belt tension. The expiration date insures these environmental issues don’t become a factor in child seat safety use.”

The Westport Police Department received grant money from the State’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) which enabled them to procure a trailer, truck, tent, safety cones, and noodles (used to adjust seat position) and other equipment to conduct these safety inspections.

“The community of Dartmouth experienced a tragedy two weeks ago when an elderly woman succumbed to a medical condition and crossed the median on Route 6. She died in the accident. I couldn’t believe that a two-year-old and an eight-year-old were in the back seat without child safety seats,” Ms. Braga said. The two children survived the accident.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death of young children.

EverythingWestport.com observed three inspection checks. Two seats were past their expiration dates, and one seat was incorrectly installed. “It’s not as simple as just placing the seat in the vehicle and strapping it in,” officer Roussel said. “A child’s age, weight and size are taken into consideration when positioning the seat (see chart below). The angle of the seat more often than not needs to be adjusted with the help of a noodle. A lot of the seats are quite complex, and need appropriate installation attention (see left-most picture below). We want every child to leave these inspections safe, and installation is a big part of that promise,” he said. Officer Roussel is shown below (second photo from left) holding a sample seat used to illustrate how long-term seat belt use can compromise a child safety seat.

Use this chart to determine what kind of safety seat your child should ride in *

Weight/Height

Type of Seat

Infants

Birth to a minimum of one year

Up to 20-22 lbs or maximum weight limit of the seat

Infant seat or rear-facing convertible

Toddlers

1-4 years

20-40 lbs or maximum weight limit of the seat

Convertible or forward-facing

Young Children

5 to 7 years

41 lbs. to 57”

Belt-positioning booster seat

Child

8 to 12 years

Greater than 57”

Seat belt

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Westport police officer Mike Roussel and Westport fireman Brian Beaulieu were on hand at the at the facilities of Distinctive Auto Body and Hillside Motors, Route 6 in Westport on Saturday to inspect and review child seat safety practices for any town resident visiting them at the second of two Child Passenger Safety Events conducted by the Westport Police Department. Joining the Westport police were the Acushnet police department, New Bedford police department and state police officer Diane Brault. Police officers Bobby Gomes and Emanuel Cabral represented the Community Police Unit of the New Bedford police department.

Westport police officer Mike Roussel reported that 27 inspections were performed between the two events, resulting in the replacement of 9 seats by the participating police departments of those seats deemed unsafe for use. “We want to be sure every child leaves these safety inspections safe,” he said.

In a day and age where it is too easy to take our public servants for granted, it’s important to praise well-intentioned and well-executed programs from our public safety officials.

Left to right – September 20: (1) New Bedford police officer Bobby Gomes correctly installs a child safety seat while mom looks on; (2) New Bedford police department’s child seat safety trailer and truck; (3) it’s a family event to insure child seat safety as Westport police officer Mike Roussel looks on; and (4) Westport fire fighter Brian Beaulieu points to out-of-date child seat with a child restraint bar no longer used in child safety seats.

*Information in the above chart provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) pamphlet (printed June 2008) obtained from the Westport Police Department on Saturday, September 13, 2008. For more information and updates, please visit: Child Passenger Safety - Executive Office of Public Safety

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