The following sites will offer education on correctly installing your child safety seat. Be sure to call first for an appointment. Appointments will be dependent upon the availability of trained Keiki Passenger Safety Technicians. Mahalo!
OAHU Kaiser Permanente	Health Education Department         432-2260	Kaiser/ KIPC
Kalihi Palama Health Center 915 North King St. Honolulu, HI 96817	Lois Arakaki 848-1438	KIPC
KMCWC - Rehabilitation Services Dept. (Special Needs child passenger safety)	Jill Taosaka 483-4917	KIPC
Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children 1319 Punahou St. Honolulu, HI 96826	Kapi'olani Health Connections 535-7000	KIPC
Marine Corp Base HI (Military, Dependent, and Civilian Base employees)	Maria Giovanetty 257-1830	KIPC
The Queen's Medical Center 1301 Punchbowl Street Honolulu, HI 96813	Queen's Referral Line 537-7117	KIPC
Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center 86-260 Farrington Hwy. Waianae, HI 96792	Ruby Relllin 696-1548	KIPC

For more information about child passenger safety, call the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition at 537-9200 

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY FACTS

•	Injuries kill more children than all diseases combined. The leading cause of child injury death is motor vehicle crashes. The main reason for motor vehicle deaths is a failure to restrain children properly.
•	Child safety seats are highly effective in protecting infants and toddlers from serious injury and death
•	The back seat usually is safer than the front, because frontal crashes are the most common.

 
BUCKLE UP...IT'S THE LAW

Effective July 2000: All front seat and back seat passengers, ages 4 years to 18 years old, riding in a motor vehicle, must be properly restrained by seat belts.

Children Under 4 Years Old

•	Children under 4 years, riding in a motor vehicle, are in federally approved child safety seats.
•	If there are more people riding in the motor vehicle than there are seat belts and all belts are being used, the children without safety seats or seat belts must ride in the back seat.

Drivers and Front Seat Passengers

•	Drivers must use seat belts when operating motor vehicles.
•	Drivers must see to it that front seat passengers under age 15 are properly restrained by seat belts.
•	Seat belt assemblies required are those in the vehicle at the time of manufacture; if none is readily available then replacement assemblies permanently marked indicating compliance with federal standards may be used.

 
Booster Seats . It’s the Law.

Beginning on January 1, 2007, Hawaii will be the 35th state to have a booster seat law. The new law will require children between the ages of four through seven to ride in a booster seat whenever traveling in a motor vehicle. The only exemptions are if the child is over 4'9" or if the vehicle has lap-only seat belts in the rear seat.

A Hawaii State tax credit of $25 per year applies to the purchase of a booster or child safety seat.

The driver is held responsible for compliance with the law. Violators of Hawaii’s Child Passenger Restraint Law are required to attend a 4-hour class and may be assessed a fine of between $100-$500 depending upon the number of offenses. However, the most compelling reason for using a booster seat is the safety of your child.  

Basic guidelines on the proper use of booster seats:
·        Use for children between the ages of four through seven, unless at least 4’9’’ tall.
·        Use until the vehicle lap and shoulder belt fit correctly. (The lap belt should fit low and snug on their hips, and the shoulder belt should not cross over a child’s face or neck.)
·        Never put the shoulder belt behind a child’s back or under their arm.
·        A high back or low back booster with no shield may be used.

Never Hold Your Infant Or Child In Your Lap.
·        A crash or sudden stop can result in a serious injury or even a fatality.


Who should use a booster seat?

Each year, more than 700 children, between the ages of four through seven, are involved in major car crashes in Hawaii. Statistics show that children unrestrained by seat belts are at least 50% more at risk for injury than children in a child safety seat or booster seat.

The proper use of child passenger restraints, such as a booster seat, is the most important factor in preventing death and injury in a car crash. Seat belts are designed for older children and adults, not for children under the age of eight, whose size and physical development make seat belts less effective, and in some cases, unsafe.

A child under 80 lbs. is generally too small for an adult seat belt. The lap belt rides up over the stomach and the shoulder belt cuts across the neck. In a crash this can cause critical or even fatal injuries.

When children outgrow child restraints with a harness, between 40 and 65 lbs. depending on seat weight limit, they should be restrained in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in an adult seat belt (approximately 80 lbs. and 4’9’’ tall).

A child who cannot sit with his or her back against the vehicle seat back cushion with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat edge without slouching, must use a booster seat no matter what age, weight or height.

Using a booster seat can save your child’s life. Come to one of the free child safety seat check-ups listed on the Event Calendar or call your nearest Safety Seat Inspection Station listed for an appointment.

•	Infant safety seats are suitable for babies up to one year old and 20 pounds. Infants must ride facing the rear.
•	Convertible seats are suitable for children from birth to four years old and 40 pounds. Convertible seats are rear-facing for infants birth to one year old and 20 pounds, then "converts" to a forward-facing seat for children one year old to 4 years old and 40 pounds.

•	Forward-Facing Seats are suitable for children from one year old and 20 pounds to four years old and 40 pounds. Children ride facing forward in these seats.
•	Booster Seats are suitable for children over 40 pounds who have outgrown convertible seats, but aren't big enough to fit in the vehicle safety belt safely (until approximately 8 years and 80 pounds.)

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SAFETY SEAT

Meets Federal standards: Look on the label for this information:

 
IS HOLDING A CHILD IN MY LAP SAFE ENOUGH?

 
SHOULD PREGNANT WOMEN WEAR SAFETY BELTS?

DOES YOUR CAR HAVE A PASSENGER AIR BAG?

 Links

Safety Belts Safe USA
http://www.carseat.org/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/