By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)-– With increasing child passenger safety a major priority, First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH) is offering free keiki car seat safety checks to Hawaii drivers on Friday, April 26 and the fourth Friday of every month for the remainder of 2013. The inspections are performed by certified car seat technicians from FICOH’s Claims and Risk & Safety Management staff.
What:
Free keiki car seat safety checks
Upcoming dates:
Fridays, April 26, May 24, and June 28; half-hour appointments available between 10 am and 12 noon
Where:
First Insurance Center parking garage, Ward Avenue and Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96814
Sign up online:
http://www.ficoh.com/carseatsafety
“By investing in this program, FICOH’s goal is to make an important service even more widely available to the Oahu community,” said Marie Weite, a FICOH Claims supervisor and certified car seat technician. “We are proud to be the first and only insurance carrier in Hawaii to offer this service to the public. When it comes to child passenger safety, we believe the more people we can reach the better.”
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. However, the Center for Childhood Safety reports that 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly regardless of the parents’ age, education or income. In addition, research shows that as children age, they are less likely to be in the appropriate child safety seat for their age and weight.
“Even with the best intentions, there are things a parent can miss,” says Weite. “It’s always beneficial to have another pair of eyes look at your car seat installation and fit to ensure you’re providing the best possible protection for your child.”