RAA, AAA, RFD Resuming Child Seat Safety Inspections Ahead of Thanksgiving

The Richmond Ambulance Authority, AAA Mid-Atlantic, and Richmond Fire Department are resuming Child Safety Seat Inspections ahead of Thanksgiving after forgoing inspections last year because of the pandemic. AAA predicts holiday travel to reach pre-pandemic levels, with more than 53 million people expected to travel for Thanksgiving this year, including more than 1.4 Million travelers here in Virginia. This means it’s especially important for families traveling out of town for the holiday, or just running those last minute errands, to make sure they have secured their most precious cargo before they drive – their children.

Lt. Rebecca Jamison, RAA’s lead Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician says “Nothing is more important than the safety of our children and we cannot stress enough how important a correctly installed car seat is before any holiday trip takes place, no matter how far.“

“Two of the most common mistakes people make when installing child passenger safety seats are installing them too loosely and incorrectly adjusting the harness. At this event trained experts will be able to correct these and other issues, ensuring that children are as safe as possible,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson Morgan Dean.

In order to help travelers or anyone that desires to have their seats checked, RAA, AAA Mid-Atlantic, and Richmond Fire will be holding Car Seat Safety Check stations on the following dates and locations:

Authorized Child Passenger Seat Safety Technicians will be available to check seats or boosters for those that attend. The latest research from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that nearly half (46%) of car seats are misused. Using age- and size-appropriate car seats and installing them correctly are the best ways to reduce serious injury and death.