OXFORD – The Oxford Chapter, Maine Coalition for SAFE KIDS, held a child passenger safety-seat checkup in collaboration with the Child Health Center and Viking Motors.

Throughout the year the Child Health Center offers monthly fitting stations in Auburn and Rumford and a variety of checkup events sponsored by the Maine Coalition for SAFEKIDS. The events give those who regularly transport children an opportunity to ensure they are doing so in the safest possible manner.

Lloyd Murphy, a senior child passenger certified technician, was on hand to represent the coalition and local certified child passenger safety technicians Shannon Hamner, Kim Sprague and Patricia Valeriani were on hand to help with the inspections.

Murphy said, “It was a productive day. We inspected 16 seats, with only one seat correctly installed. Of the remaining seats, two were found to have been recalled or deemed unsafe and were replaced with new seats.

“One child came in harnessed in an adult seat belt system and was given a backless booster so that the seat belt system fit properly, and a family that was expecting their first child stopped to learn how to install their infant seat.”

Patricia Valeriani, Oxford Chapter coordinator, said, “Seeing older children who have been moved into adult seat belts before they are ready is a common occurrence. It is important that the vehicle seat belt fit properly.

“The lap belt portion of the seat belt should be as low as possible, touching the thighs; the shoulder portion of the belt should cross the shoulder between the neck and arm; and the child should be able to sit all the way back against the vehicle seat with their knees comfortably bent at the edge of the seat.

“If the lap portion of the belt is too high on the abdomen, the force of the crash will be transferred to the internal organs and the child is at risk of sustaining internal injuries, commonly known as seat belt syndrome’.”

Maine law requires that all children who weigh at least 40 pounds but less than 80 or who are less than 8 years must be properly secured in a federally approved child restraint system (booster seat).

Valeriani said some of the most common mistakes seen are seats that are installed too loosely, harness straps that are too loose on the child and seats that are not appropriate for the vehicle and/or the child.

The Child Health Center offers fitting stations at the Auburn Police Department on the second Monday of every month from 2 to 6 p.m. and in Mexico on the first Friday of every month (call for information). For more information on the fittings or upcoming events, call Valeriani at 743-7035, Oxford County, or 782-5437, Androscoggin County.