MoDOT providing car seats for those in need
By Charles Christian
The Missouri Department of Transportation can provide child safety seats free of charge upon referral from local nonprofit agencies.
Through a federal grant, MoDOT will provide suitable and safe car seats that meet the safety standards for the height and weight of the child when needed. Agencies like Community Action Partnership, Catholic Charities and the St. Joseph Health Department can refer adults to MoDOT, and certified child passenger safety agents like Lana Allen will schedule an appointment to do a thorough match for the appropriate safety seat.
“At that time, we assess the children — their ages, their weight,” Allen said. “If the child’s current seat is no longer appropriate for their age and size, or if parents do not have a car seat, we will fit that child to a new car seat that we would provide.”
In Missouri, children between the ages of 4 and 7 who weigh less than 40 pounds must be in a safety seat or booster seat when riding in a vehicle. Children over the age of 8 who weigh less than 80 pounds and are less than 4 feet, 9 inches tall are required to wear a safety belt or to be buckled into an appropriate booster seat.
In the St. Joseph area, the amount of referrals fluctuates, according to Allen. However, MoDOT expects extra referrals in the summer, since more people are on the road more often with their kids.
“We also get calls from people who already have car seats, but who want to make sure the seats are the right size and that the seats are installed correctly,” Allen said.
Other services MoDOT’s referral program provides include searching for possible recalls and inspecting damage on the existing car seat to make sure it meets current safety standards.
“What we’re looking for is the selection of the seat, the direction in which the child should ride and the position and fit of the body of the child,” Allen said. “Our emphasis is upon education and the ultimate safety of the child.”
To find out more about car seat checking stations, as well as the referral program, go to savemolives.com. Parents can also reach out to the St. Joseph Health Department or other local nonprofit organizations to discuss eligibility for the referral program if they need a new or updated car seat.
