Health dept. to distribute child safety seats

The Lamar County Health Department has received a mini-grant which will allow it to distribute child safety seats and educaitonal information to eligible parents.The grants are the result of a collaboration with the Georgia Office of Highway Safety to cut fatalities on state highways.’A child under age eight has more than a two times greater risk of dying in a motor vehicle crash if that child is not secured in an appropriate child safety seat,’ said Dodi Slaughter, RN, Child Passenger Safety Coordinator. ‘Our program partners with several other community agencies including the Lamar County School System, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, Barnesville Police Department, Barnesville Housing Authority, Lamar County Department of Family and Children Services, and Lamar County Family Connections Collaborative to ensure that our children don’t become one of the statistics.’Motor vehicle-related incidents are the leading cause of death for children over the age of one in the U.S. and Georgia. Lack of appropriate restraint use, such as child safety seats, booster seats and seat belts contribute significantly to this problem. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration child safety seats reducefatal injury by 71 percent for infants (less than one year old) and by 54 percent fortoddlers (one to four years old) in passenger cars.Agencies across the state are working to let people know what they can do to stop this deadly childhood epidemic. As part of the program, local agencies provide technical assistance and educational materials to reduce the number of fatalities on Georgia’s roads. Materials include child safety restraints to parents who meet financial eligibility.For more information about protecting your child from preventable injuries, contact the Lamar County Health Department at (770) 358-1483.