St. John’s Children’s Hospital Offering Free Car Seat Safety Check on Sept. 26
September 14, 2026
A car seat only protects if it's installed right. HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital is closing out Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 20–26) by hosting a free Car Seat Safety Check on National Seat Check Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Women and Children's Clinic parking garage at 400 N. 9th St.
A certified child passenger safety technician will work one-on-one with parents and caregivers to ensure their child's car seat or booster seat is properly installed and appropriate for their child's age and size. Illinois law requires all children under 8 years old to be secured in a child safety restraint system, including car seats and booster seats using a lap/shoulder seat belt.
“We have a responsibility not only to care for children when they need us, but also to share our knowledge and help families prevent injuries before they happen,” said Aryn Hunter, Chief Administrative Officer of HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital. “A properly installed car seat is one of the simplest and most effective ways parents and caregivers can help protect a child on every car ride. This free safety check gives families an opportunity to learn from our experts, ask questions and feel confident their child’s car seat is installed correctly.”
The need is real: according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1,019 children ages 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2023, and more than 161,000 were injured. Research shows car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.
Visit hshs.org/st-johns/services/pregnancy-and-birth/car-seat-safety to find more resources for children's car seat safety, including year-round car seat fitting stations in Springfield.
A certified child passenger safety technician will work one-on-one with parents and caregivers to ensure their child's car seat or booster seat is properly installed and appropriate for their child's age and size. Illinois law requires all children under 8 years old to be secured in a child safety restraint system, including car seats and booster seats using a lap/shoulder seat belt.
“We have a responsibility not only to care for children when they need us, but also to share our knowledge and help families prevent injuries before they happen,” said Aryn Hunter, Chief Administrative Officer of HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital. “A properly installed car seat is one of the simplest and most effective ways parents and caregivers can help protect a child on every car ride. This free safety check gives families an opportunity to learn from our experts, ask questions and feel confident their child’s car seat is installed correctly.”
The need is real: according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1,019 children ages 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2023, and more than 161,000 were injured. Research shows car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.
Visit hshs.org/st-johns/services/pregnancy-and-birth/car-seat-safety to find more resources for children's car seat safety, including year-round car seat fitting stations in Springfield.
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Andrew Dilbeck
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