The DeKalb County Board of Health is observing National Child Passenger Safety Month in February by participating in the national Boost America campaign. Boost America has provided 25,000 car booster seats to Georgia, and the Board of Health's Safe Communities program is distributing several hundred of them in DeKalb County.

Safe Communities of DeKalb is "adopting" two elementary schools to distribute the booster seats. Parents at Midway Elementary School, in Decatur, and Cary Reynolds Elementary School, in Doraville, will receive education on safety seats as well as the booster seats.

According to Anastacia Espada Jacob, coordinator of Safe Communities of DeKalb, once a child is too big for a convertible seat, parents often place him or her directly into the vehicle's seat using only a seat belt. "However, seat belts are made for adults. They do not fit children properly. In fact, a seat belt could injure or even kill a child," she explained.

Midway Elementary held its first booster seat training during a January 31 parenting fair. Safe Communities of DeKalb, along with Safe

Kids of DeKalb, conducted four classes during the fair. There will be more booster seat classes and distributions at Midway throughout the rest of the school year.

The first booster seat training at Cary Reynolds Elementary is scheduled for later this month and will be provided in both English and Spanish.

Children between the ages of four and eight who are less than

4 feet 9 inches tall and between 40 and 80 pounds should use a booster seat. Booster seats raise a child so the seat belt fits properly, preventing the child from being thrown from the car in a crash.

"We hope to reach over 100 families during National Child Passenger Safety Month, and we plan to carry on the education and distribution throughout the rest of the school year," Jacob said.

The Ford Motor Company, United Way and the Governor's Office of Highway Safety are funding the Boost America campaign. During National Child Passenger Safety month, Boost America and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety are focusing on the safety of those under the age of eight.

Safe Communities of DeKalb County is a traffic safety program sponsored by the DeKalb County Board of Health and the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. Safe Kids of DeKalb works to prevent childhood injuries.

For more information or to become involved, please contact Anastacia Espada Jacob at 404-294-3844 or by e-mail at info@dekalbhealth.net.

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