Safety First: Louisiana Experts Race to Prevent Road Tragedies

Accidents are among the primary reasons for fatalities in children, and sadly such incidents occur all too often. Thursday night on I-12 When a vehicle swerved out of traffic lanes and collided with a tree.

Preston Ordone, aged 2, from Slidell he lost his life. According to police, he was placed in a car seat, but it wasn’t being used correctly—a distressingly frequent issue.

Ensuring proper installation of car seats for safety is both crucial and intricate. A cohort of emergency medical personnel, police officers, and healthcare providers are participating in a four-day course to gain certification as instructors in this field.

"That’s because a child's life is in your hands," stated Bridget Gardner, a registered nurse serving as a trauma program specialist at UMC and acting as the State Director for the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force.

This is part of the UMC Level One Trauma Center’s initiative to ensure that parents and caregivers become familiar with five crucial checkpoints.

1. Seat Selection: The process involves four distinct phases influenced by age, height, and weight.
2. Seating Orientation: Both rear-facing and forward-facing directions. Certain seats must be positioned rear-facing until the child reaches four years of age.
3. In a vehicle, children should sit in the rear seats at least until they reach the age of 13.
4. The harness should fit snugly with no looseness. It is suitable for some individuals weighing up to 80 pounds and aged eight years old.
5. Installation: Have you ensured that all seatbelts and clips are securely fastened?

"They are highly efficient, but all five steps must be followed accurately; this is where many parents who believe they are doing it properly often overlook one of these steps," she clarified.

Actually, according to these safety professionals, when individuals bring their vehicles in for a car seat inspection, up to 100% of the time they discover significant or slight issues with how the seats were installed.

"One of the major issues we face is the inadequate use of booster seats. When children move away from using car harnesses, parents and caretakers often believe it’s okay to immediately switch them to the regular vehicle seat belt system, but this can be unsafe because kids may not yet be tall enough for proper fit," explained Gardner.

There are 700 state-certified instructors who will guide you in using it for free.

The Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force stands out as one of the top organizations nationally, and Louisiana's child restraint regulations improved dramatically, moving from some of the poorest standards to being among the best in 2019. This initiative aims to ensure children remain in the most secure form of transportation for as long as possible.

Safety inspections are available for free across the state.

On Saturday, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., there will be a complimentary child seat installation event at Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital in Slidell.

Additionally, each Wednesday in Kenner at State Trooper B from 1 PM to 4 PM.

https://www.facebook.com/BuckleUpLouisiana/

https://ochsner-craft.s3.amazonaws.com/www/landing-page/Car_Seat_5x7_Troop_B_.pdf

260K members – CPSTs assist via images!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2236216943

Tap here to notify about a spelling mistake.

❯ Receive instant local updates by installing the new FREE WWL-TV News application available for download today. IOS App Store or Google Play .