Poorly installed child seats offer poor protection

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Although the overwhelming

majority of parents believe their children are properly buckled up in the car,

information from certified child car seat inspectors show that's not the case.

During State Farm Insurance's most recent nationwide Child Safety Day events, held

May 15, parents and caregivers had their child seats checked by trained

inspectors. What they found was that only 13 percent of the safety seats and

29 percent of the booster seats were properly installed. Since the smallest

passengers in the car are at the greatest risk, this is of great concern.

"With increased security concerns, more people are driving to their

vacation destinations," said Susan Hood, Vice President-Claims. "We all want

the best for our children, so taking the time to make sure they're properly

secured can make all the difference in the world."

Parents are strongly urged to follow manufacturer's instructions when

installing the child safety seat. They should also remember that children who

are too big for a safety seat should be placed in a belt-positioning booster

seat. And children under the age of 12 should never ride in the front seat.