NDOT and Local Partners Highlight Child Safety at National Seat Check Saturday Event

Sept. 21, 2024 (Lincoln, Neb.) — Today, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT)’s Highway Safety Office, in collaboration with Mary Lanning Healthcare of Hastings, the Nebraska Safety Council, Lincoln Fire and Police Departments, and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, hosted an event for National Seat Check Saturday.

This nationwide event focused on the importance of properly securing child safety seats. NDOT’s Highway Safety Office regularly partners with 21 locations across Nebraska to offer free car seat checks, ensuring parents and caregivers have the knowledge they need to keep their children safe. Unfortunately, each year in Nebraska, approximately 500 children under the age of 16 are injured in crashes, and around 70% of those children are not properly restrained in the vehicle.

“The safety of every child in Nebraska is our responsibility, and ensuring proper car seat use is a simple but powerful way to protect them on the road. It’s alarming that 30% of children involved in crashes in Nebraska aren’t properly restrained. We must continue to educate families and caregivers, making sure that every child is secured correctly, every time they’re in a vehicle,” stressed Lt. Governor Joe Kelly.

Adding to this message, NDOT Director Vicki Kramer emphasized the role of NDOT in this effort. “At NDOT, safety is always our top priority, and that begins with the most vulnerable passengers—our children. The partnership between NDOT’s Highway Safety Office and car seat inspection sites across Nebraska is crucial in empowering parents and caregivers to safeguard their children. A properly secured child seat could be what saves a child's life in a crash.”

“Our goal is to ensure that every child in Lancaster County is being transported as safely as possible. Car seat check events provide parents and caregivers hands on learning and education along with peace of mind that their child’s car seat is installed properly,” said Janel Binder, Injury Prevention Public Health Educator, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.

When it comes to law enforcement’s role in protecting Nebraska’s youngest residents, Michon Marrow, Chief of Police for the Lincoln Police Department shared her experience, saying, “As law enforcement, we’ve seen the outcomes firsthand when children aren’t properly restrained or are left unattended in vehicles. It’s important for families to understand seatbelts save lives and that even a few minutes in a hot car can be deadly for a child. We’re committed to working with the community to prevent these tragedies and keep our youngest residents safe.”

In addition to highlighting car seat safety, the event also addressed the dangers of leaving children in hot cars. Mary Lanning Healthcare demonstrated the risks associated with vehicular heat. Nationally, in 2023, there were 29 pediatric vehicular heatstroke fatalities. A child’s temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult’s, quickly creating a life-threatening situation.

“In Region 7, Nebraska leads in fatalities involving children left in hot cars—a preventable tragedy. Heatstroke in vehicles is a danger, and we must keep spreading the word to save lives,” emphasized Dean Scott, Occupant Protection Coordinator for NHTSA Region 7.

Learn more from the NDOT Highway Safety Office: https://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/driving/cps.

To find inspection stations in Nebraska: https://www.safekidsnebraska.org/safety-tips.