National Seat Check Saturday is September 25; a date set aside to draw attention to the importance of car seat safety. Injury prevention in Oktibbeha County has OCH Regional Medical Center expanding reach and dialogue about car seat safety. OCH House Manager Paula Hamilton, RNC-OB, IBCLC, is one of the only Certified Car Seat Safety Technicians in the area assisting with car seat education, distribution and installation.
D'Angelique Lister Injury Prevention Coordinator from the Mississippi State Department of Health Office of Preventive Health & Health Equity Central Area, Region II Coordinator contacted Hamilton to assist in Oktibbeha County.
Hamilton said, “Aligning collective advocacy by knowing who to contact locally if in need is key to car seat safety injury prevention. We want to remove as many barriers as possible by not only making car seats accessible but also by ensuring they are installed correctly so that all children can travel safely.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019, more than one-third (38%) of children under 13 killed in passenger vehicles were not restrained in car seats, booster seats or seat belts.
To find out if you qualify for assistance obtaining a car seat, contact your local health department. The Oktibbeha County Health Department number is 662-323-4565.
