IDOT program helps to spread child seat safety

Twelve area citizens took their recently learned knowledge to the public this week, conducting free car seat safety checks at Benton's Immanuel Baptist Church.
As part of the Illinois Department of Transportation's "Buckle Up Illinois" program, the 12 attended four days of instruction at the West City Police Department. After completing the class, the students will be certified as Child Passenger Safety Technicians.
"This is what we call going live," said Kathy Murphy, the traffic safety liaison with IDOT.
IDOT recommends four steps to passenger safety. Babies should ride rear-facing until age 2. "Big kids" over age 2 should face front with a harness. "Bigger kids" should use a booster seat until at least age eight. Finally, everyone buckles up on every ride.
Murphy says IDOT conducts the training classes per community requests.

The next area class is scheduled to begin June 3 at Rend Lake College.