LIHU‘E — Do you know if your child car seat is installed properly?
Do you know if the child car seat you’re using, or some of its components, have been involved in a recall?
Are you aware of the new, updated requirements for keiki car seats?
Hawai‘i Pacific Health, the parent organization of Wilcox Health, the Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women &Children, in partnership and cooperation of the Walmart store in Lihu‘e, are hosting a free child car seat check on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon in the Walmart parking lot. No appointments are necessary to have a car seat inspected, and corrected, if necessary.
And, because the safety and comfort of the child using the seat is important, having the child accompany the car seat will help during the installation, or other modifications, if needed.
During the last HPH-hosted event in October 2022, TGI learned from Devindra Sharma of the state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office, Family Health Services program, that Kaua‘i had no certified car seat technicians to ensure that keiki car seats are installed in accordance with the most current requirements.
Sharma said in an email that the state Department of Health is currently holding classes to train 10 new car seat certification technicians. The certifications for Kaua‘i technicians lapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current classes are to replace those with expired certifications.
Sharma, himself a father of a child needing a keiki child seat, also experienced the failure of proper car seat installation after his car seat was inspected by the HPH team and discovered the seat was improperly installed, resulting in his child’s discomfort while riding.
The Kaua‘i District Health Office worker insisted he used a YouTube video for the installation he performed, and realized the importance of certified inspectors firsthand.
In addition to getting information on the most current Act 122 amendments and requirements passed and signed by former Gov. David Ige in July 2022, technicians at the inspection station check for the most current recalls by the different car seat manufacturers.
