Lifesaving Lessons on Child Passenger Safety at Illinois State Fair

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn joined Springfield police at the Illinois State Fair today to remind the public of the importance of properly securing children in vehicles. As a public service and to help save lives and prevent serious injuries, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will have technicians at the fair to provide instructions on how to install child safety seats.

“There is no cargo more precious than our children. We will be at the fair to help you make sure your child is correctly fastened in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt every time they are in your vehicle,” said Secretary Blankenhorn. “Not doing so can be a tragic mistake to make, one with consequences families should never have to experience.”

Child passenger safety technicians will be at the IDOT tent, located on Brian Raney Avenue, on Friday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parents and child-care providers can visit the tent to learn the correct way to install car seats and booster seats, as well as get information from the experts on how to best keep children safe in vehicles.

Here is some important child passenger safety information:

•  Rear-facing seats should be used in the back seat from birth, to the height and weight limit of the seat. Recommended up to age 2, or a minimum of 12 months and 20 pounds.
•  Forward-facing seats should be used in the back seat when the child has reached the height or weight limit of the rear-facing seat, to about age 4 and 40-65 pounds.
•  Booster seats should be used in the back seat from age four until the child reaches the appropriate height (four feet, nine inches) to properly fit in a lap and shoulder belt.
•  All children 8 years old and younger are required by law in Illinois to ride in a car seat or booster seat.
•  All children, age 12 or younger, should ride in the back seat.
•  Improperly securing a child can result in a deadly outcome. Watch here for an example.

As part of today’s announcement, Secretary Blankenhorn reminded parents and caretakers to check the back seat before leaving a vehicle. Every year, children are killed due to heat stroke, as a result of being left inside hot vehicles. It does not take long for heat stroke to occur inside an enclosed vehicle. Taking a moment to double check the back seat can avert a potential tragedy.