Booster seat safety

Hundreds of families drove away a little safer on Saturday, Dec. 7 thanks to free booster seats from Child Crisis Arizona’s Safe Kids Maricopa County program. Each family was given one free booster seat, funded by Ford Motor Company, as well as a demonstration of how to properly buckle up from a car seat safety technician.

Booster seats provide an important step between a car seat with a harness and an adult seat belt. Many families are unaware that children should not sit in a car without a booster seat until after the age of 8—depending on their height and weight.

Each year Safe Kids Maricopa County gives away hundreds of free booster seats at the Angeles del Barrio Holiday Celebration and Health Fair, put on by Chicanos por la Causa at the South Mountain Community Center. Thousands of families attend this free event each year and walk away with resources and tips to live a healthier, safer life.

Volunteers had these tips for parents:

• Keep your child in a car seat until they’ve reached the height and weight limits allowed by the seat.
• The best place for a booster seat is in the back seat of the car.
• When your child is seated in their booster seat, make sure the lap belt sits low on the hips or upper thighs and the shoulder strap hits the bony part of the shoulder.
• Do not place the shoulder strap under the child’s arm or behind their back.
• Be sure to ask about booster use if your child is in a carpool.

Thank you to Ford Motor Company for your sponsorship of this important event and for your support of Safe Kids, Strong Families!