Baby on Board? Free Car Seat Check in Cheyenne This Weekend.

The Centers for Disease Control identifies car seat misuse as a leading cause of death for children. The agency reports that data indicates around 46% to 59% of drivers misuse or improperly install car seats.

Safe Ride 4 Kids and the National Safety Administration takes those stats one step further, identifying misuse by car seat type:

• 61% forward-facing car seats,
• 44% rear-facing/convertible car seats,
• 49% rear-facing car seats,
• 16% highback booster seats,
• 24% of backless booster seats.

Those are shocking statistics, considering the life-saving capabilities of a car seat rely on proper installation. And most parents don't know they're using the car seat incorrectly.

If you're wondering how to install a new car seat, or want to check whether your child's current one is in proper use, Safe Kids Laramie County can help. On Saturday, September 23, the organization welcomes parents and guardians to bring their vehicles and car seats to its FREE safety check event.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Town & Country Liquors at 516 S. Greeley Hwy in Cheyenne. There, Safe Kids staff will inspect car seats for proper installation and show parents how to install the car seat and use it properly - it's just as important to buckle and harness child passengers correctly as it is to ensure you install the car seat correctly.

DID YOU KNOW? A  2015 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 40% of parents have the harness too loose on a car seat. The harness is used to spread the force of a crash across the strongest part of a child's body, protecting organs and soft tissue as much as possible in the event of a crash.