Car seat safety at MCPH Car seat safety at Madison County Public Health

Madison County Public Health (MCPH) is now offering car seat expertise and guidance five days a week.

Melany Telfer, a health educator for the health district, recently finished a 32-hour intensive course on car seat safety with the Upper Arlington Fire Department.

The course, which spanned four days, covered topics such as selecting the proper car or booster seat based on age and weight, as well as installing the seats.

Any Madison County resident can call and set up an appointment to have their car seat checked out at no cost.

Between 74 and 90 percent of car seats and booster seats are misused, according to The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

Misuse can mean a child is facing the wrong way, their harness isn’t tight enough or the seat isn’t secured properly, for example.

The district also receives 60 car seats each year through the Ohio Buckles Buckeyes program that they can give to any parent in need, free of cost. Any Madison County resident that is WIC eligible is eligible for a car seat.