FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 6, 2004 San Mateo County Health Services Agency Contact: Dr. Anand Chabra, (650) 573-3469 FREE CAR SEAT INSPECTION IN BELMONT ON MAY 8 Belmont, CA--National SAFE KIDS Campaign reports that over 80 percent of car seats in use are not installed and used correctly. To address this problem, the San Mateo County Childhood Injury Prevention Program, the Santa Clara/San Mateo SAFE KIDS Coalition, and the Belmont Police Department are sponsoring a free car seat inspection event on Saturday, May 8. The event will be held at the CalTrain Station, located on El Camino Real in Belmont, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Appointments are encouraged and may be made by contacting Patrice Christensen at (650) 573-3728. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. When installed and used correctly, car seats may reduce the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for children ages 1 to 4. Riding unrestrained is the greatest risk factor for death and injury among child occupants of motor vehicles. The National SAFE KIDS Campaign estimates that approximately 14 percent of the nation's children under the age of 14 still ride unrestrained on a regular basis--despite child occupant protection laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. ###