Maui child safety seat inspection event, Feb. 17 at Maui Marketplace

The Maui Police Department, in collaboration with the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will host a child safety seat inspection event within the Maui Marketplace parking lot on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The event will provide a free, no-obligation inspection of child safety seats, ensuring they are installed correctly and functioning properly to keep children safe in the event of a crash.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a properly installed child safety seat can reduce the risk of fatal injury by up to 71%.

“By partnering with parents, guardians, and caregivers and providing valuable resources, we aim to reduce the incidence of preventable injuries and fatalities on our roadways. Together, we can make a difference in safeguarding our children and promoting responsible road safety practices,” organizers said.

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be on-site to perform inspections and be available to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of properly securing children in their vehicles. In addition, attendees can receive hands-on demonstrations and tips on child safety seat installation and usage.

In June 2022, the State of Hawaiʻi updated the Child Passenger Restraint Law. The law requires:

• If the child is under two years of age, the child must be properly restrained in a rear-facing car seat with a harness.
• If a child is between two and four years old, the child must be properly restrained in a rear-facing or forward-facing car seat with a harness.
• If a child is between four and nine years old, the child must be properly restrained in a child passenger restraint or booster seat.
• If the child is between seven and nine years old and is 4 feet 9 inches in height, they are exempt from riding in a child passenger restraint but must be restrained by a lap and shoulder seat belt assembly.

This event is open to the public and free of charge. No appointment is necessary. For more information, contact the Maui Police Department Traffic Section at 808-244-6347.

For more information on child passenger safety, visit the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition website at www.kipchawaii.org.