Make Sure Your Child Safety Seat is Properly Installed

September is Baby Safety Month

* Chrysler Group Offers Free Child Passenger Safety Tips and Resources

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 26 -- September marks Baby Safety Month and a time to remember to keep all children safe in vehicles, no matter what age. Traffic crashes remain the No. 1 killer of kids. To help keep children safe in vehicles, Chrysler Group offers child passenger safety resources and tips and a free car seat inspection service for parents, year-round.

Incorrect use of child restraints can lead to serious injury or death to the child in the event of a crash. Chrysler Group offers two free services to educate parents about child passenger safety: SEATCHECK provides a free car- seat inspection locator service through a Web site (http://www.seatcheck.org/ ) and a toll-free hotline (1-866-SEAT-CHECK), and Fit for a Kid, a dealer-based child safety-seat inspection service.

"Each day, nearly eight out of 10 children are riding in car seats that are not properly used or installed," said Deborah Morrissett, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Chrysler Group. "That's an enormous and unnecessary risk to children. We urge all parents to take 20 minutes this month to make sure their children are riding safely in their car seats."

Safety experts like the National Safety Council (NSC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend the following tips for proper child safety seat use.

* Use rear-facing infant seats in the back seat from birth to at least one year old and at least 20 pounds.

* Remember: Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of a passenger air bag.

* Toddlers over one year and 20-40 pounds should be in a convertible and forward-facing seat.

* Young children over 40 pounds, between the ages of four and eight, unless taller than 4'9" should ride in booster seats.

* Always read both the vehicle owner's manual and the instructions that come with the child safety seat.

* It's important to remember that the "best" child safety seat is the one that correctly fits the child, the vehicle, and is used correctly every time.

* Children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat and ALWAYS use seat belts.

Not only should parents select the proper car seat for their child and have it inspected to ensure proper installation, but also parents should remember these additional safety tips:

* Every passenger should wear a seat belt; and

* Children should never be left unattended in or around a vehicle (Most states have laws that make it illegal to leave the keys in an unattended vehicle or to leave children in a vehicle without an adult present.)

"While many car crashes cannot be prevented, we can reduce injury and death to children and passengers by properly buckling up," said Chuck Hurley, Vice President, transportation safety group, National Safety Council. SEATCHECK provides listings to over 4,000 inspection locations. Chrysler Group sponsors SEATCHECK with the support of NHTSA, the NSC, Graco Children's Products, Toys 'R Us and Babies 'R Us.

To find a participating Fit for a Kid dealer, parents can call toll-free 1-877-Fit-4-a-Kid or log on to http://www.fitforakid.org/ . Safety seat inspections are available by appointment at participating Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep(R) dealers for anyone, regardless of make or model vehicle they drive. Chrysler Group sponsors the program along with the NSC and Graco Children's Products.