A new child safety seat law is going into effect here in New York State on November 1.  According the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, all children under the age of 2 must use a rear-facing car seat.

There are 3 types of rear-facing car seats: Infant Seats, Convertible Seats, and All-in-One Seats. It is recommended that infants and toddlers ride in a rear-facing seat until they reach the weight or height limit of the seat. Most children will outgrow a rear-facing infant seat before reaching their 2nd birthday. If the child has outgrown an infant seat, it is recommended that a larger, rear-facing Convertible or All-in-One car seat with higher rear-facing height and weight limits be used. These seats should be installed in the rear-facing position until the child reaches the rear-facing weight or height limit set by the car seat manufacturer.

Parents and grandparents and other young child caregivers should be aware that child safety seats can be difficult to install properly.  Even if you are diligent and reference your vehicle's instructions and the safety seat installation instructions, you can still get it wrong.  According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, "nearly half of all car seats are used or installed correctly, which puts children in danger of injury or death. Use of car seats and safety restraints can reduce the risks children face by 50 to 70% when employed properly."  That's why there are local, trained professionals to help with that installation.

Below is a list of permanent child safety seat inspection sites by county:

Chenango County
Chenango County Sheriff's Office
279 County Road 46, Norwich, NY  13815
Weekdays - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. excluding holidays — Appointment required
Contact:  Deputy Sheri Howe at (607) 337-1874 or e-mail sherihowe@co.chenango.ny.us

Family Enrichment Network, Inc.
21S Broad Street, Norwich, NY  13815
Third Friday of month - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Appointment required
Contact:  Melanie Manwarren at (607) 336-2809 or e-mail melaniem@frontiernet.net

Delaware County
Delaware County Public Health
Delaware Opportunities, 35430 State Route 10, Hamden, NY 13782
4th Wednesday of the month - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. — Appointment required
English Speaking Technicians Only.
Contact:  Virginia Austin at (607) 746-1700

New York State Police
Box 300, Route 7, Sidney, NY  13838
Appointment required
Contact:  Trooper Nelson Torres at (607) 561-7487

Otsego County
Otsego County Public Health Nurses
140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown, NY  13326
Monday thru Friday - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Appointment required
Safety Seat Fitting is available for special needs children
Contact:  JoAnn Schallert at (607) 547-4230 or email schallertj@otsegocounty.com

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