Crime & Safety

Grant Awarded to Local Agencies Will Help Keep Children Safe While Riding in Vehicles

Barrow County Emergency Services and the Barrow County Sheriff's Office have received a grant to help fund a program to educate the public on properly installing and using car seats.

Last year, properly installed car seats saved the lives of two children in Barrow County riding in a car that was hit by drunken driver.

Kathy Mattison had her son and granddaughter in her vehicle when the accident occurred. Both children were properly restrained in car seats obtained through a program facilitated locally by and the .

Because of the efforts to educate the public on installing and using car seats properly, BCES and the sheriff's office have received a mini-grant from the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Public Health, Maternal and Child Health Program – Injury Prevention to continue their efforts . 

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“The departments work together in managing a great car seat program here in Barrow County,” said Lt. Scott Dakin, spokesman for BCES. “The reason the program is successful is because of the cooperation of all that are involved. They are dedicated to helping keep all Barrow County children safe when traveling on the roads.”

Through the mini-grant, the local coalition works together to provide car seats and education to financially eligible families in Barrow County. The collaborative educates parents and caregivers on how to properly install and use car seats, offers car seat inspections and provides car seats and booster seats to eligible families.

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Since 2007, at least 150 children in Georgia who were involved in crashes were saved from serious injury or death by car seats, booster seats and education provided through the mini-grant, BCES stated in a news release.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent among infants and by 54 percent among children ages 1 to 4 years in passenger cars. Car seats are most effective when installed and used properly. Almost three out of every four car seats are not used correctly.

“It’s our responsibility to keep our children safe,” Dakin said. “The Car Seat Mini-Grant is a great opportunity to help our community and help protect our kids from serious injuries or death in motor vehicle crashes.”

Deputy Ed Weaver with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is an instructor in the Child Passenger Safety Certified Technician program. He teaches law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, health care workers and others how to properly check and install child safety seats. For more information about the Barrow County car seat program, call Weaver at the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office at 770-307-3080, ext. 1383.


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