NEWS RELEASE
Department of Social Services
700 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD57501-2291 Phone: 605-773-3165 Web: http://dss.sd.gov
CONTACT: Tarah Jahnig at 605-773-3165
Project 8 comes to Murdo as part of Capital for a Day
86 percent of child safety seats inspected in S.D. in 2008 were improperly installed
PIERRE, S.D. -- Members of the community are invited to have their child’s safety seat inspected to ensure it is properly installed during next week’s Capital for a Day events in Murdo. Trained technicians will be available at the Murdo Drive Inn on Wednesday, September 23 from 2:30-5:30 p.m.
“This is a great opportunity to educate parents, guardians and child care providers and to also ensure all child safety seats are installed properly,” said Deb Bowman, Secretary for the Department of Social Services. “Trained Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be on site and provide free child safety seat inspections for all who would like one.”
Project 8: Governor’s Car Seat Program began in July of 2005 to promote proper child seat use and installation. In 2008, 86 percent of the child safety seats inspected in South Dakota were improperly installed.
The purpose of Project 8 is to remind all parents, child care providers, and other guardians to use the proper restraint system for their child’s height and weight. Once a child reaches 40 pounds, a booster seat should be utilized until the child is at least 8 years old. By then most children reach the proper height and weight requirements (4’9” and more than 80 pounds) to ride safely in a seatbelt. Project 8 also distributes infant seats, toddler seats, or booster seats to income eligible families throughout South Dakota. Program offices are located in the following communities: Rapid City, Pierre, Aberdeen, Brookings and Sioux Falls.
Child safety is very important to Governor Rounds and the citizens of South Dakota. Additional steps must be taken to educate and train parents and guardians about proper child seat use and installation. Through education, training and outreach, South Dakota parents and caregivers can learn proper techniques for keeping their children safe while riding in a vehicle.
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