The West Columbia Police Department has a new program to help parents in the effort to protect their children.
“We have five new Child Passenger Safety technicians,” said West Columbia Assistant Police Chief Scott Morrison. “They have trained to properly install child safety seats in cars. They can check already installed car seats, too, to make sure they have been put in the car correctly.”
West Columbia Police Chief Dennis Tyndall said the training – like all education- enhances the quality of the West Columbia Police Department. “Whenever we can add more knowledge and help, it’s an advantage, and it increases the value of our staff in the community we serve,” said Tyndall.
Officer David Myers heads up the WCPD Community Action Team. He is one of the new Child Passenger Safety technicians. The other four are officers: Eugene Hammill; Kristin Moore; Maggie Jones; and Korey Davis.
“Statistics show that up-to 90 percent of children are improperly restrained in car safety seats,” said Myers. “The child does not fit the seat or something is wrong in a vast majority of the seats installed. Sometimes the child has simply outgrown the seat.”
Myers said not only is it the goal of the WCPD officers to properly install the seats, but he said they also want to teach.
“We want to show parents the right way to install the car seats,” said Myers. “Chances are they are going to move the seat after we install it. Or the child is going to grow and need another seat or you’re taking the seat out. We want to show them how to put the seat back in so that it’s safe and legal.”
Morrison said it is imperative is that children are in the seats properly. “If you have an accident you want that child to be as safe as possible,” he said.
Morrison, who has been trained in proper child seat installation, said he has seen poorly installed seats. He also said parents want to protect their children, and they are very thankful that the police department can help show them proper child seat installation.
Myers agreed. “We want children to be as safe as they possibly can be,” he said.
And there is good reason to be vigilant regarding child safety seats.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for children over one year of age, according to information published by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The DHEC report also states that it’s important to make sure seats are installed the right way.
“When properly installed, child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. Seat belt usage increases the chances for surviving a crash by nearly 45 percent,” according to the report.
Morrison said the West Columbia Police Department was able to provide training through the DHEC program, and the S.C. Department of Public Safety.
According to DHEC, the Child Passenger Safety Program began in 1995. It’s funded by a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration grant administered by the S.C. Department of Public Safety. The goal of the program is to prevent and reduce injuries, disabilities and death to children due to vehicle crashes.
Morrison also said it’s important to follow Child Passenger Safety Tips. Those include:
Infants and toddlers should ride facing the rear of the vehicle until they are at least two-years-old.
Young children should ride in car safety seats with a harness until at least age four years, with guidance educating parents and caregivers about the benefits of riding in a seat with a 5-point harness up to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer.
School-aged children should ride in belt positioning booster seats until at least age eight years or until the seat belt fits correctly, as described by the AAP and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Children should ride in the rear seat until age 13 years.
Seat belt laws should apply to all vehicle occupants and should be subject to primary enforcement.
Getting help with the child safety seats is just one more service the City of West Columbia and the police department offers. Those who want help can make an appointment to come by the police department in the City Hall complex at 200 N. 12th Street. The phone number to the department is 803-794-0721.
