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Majority of Illinois Parents Don't Know How to Correctly Use a Child Safety Seat

AURORA, Ill., Sept 18, 2008 - As Illinois commemorates the 25^th anniversary of its first child passenger safety seat law this year, an alarmingly high number of Illinois parents with children under 8 years old are still unsure of how to correctly use a child seat and what Illinois child restraint law requires, according to a new survey conducted by AAA Chicago.

The survey shows 97 percent of parents could not correctly identify that the Illinois child restraint law mandates that all children must be in a child restraint until they are 8 years old. Furthermore, 67 percent of parents surveyed said that most parents with a young child do not have a clear understanding of how to correctly install and/or use child safety seats.

The survey also revealed that nearly half of all parents (48 percent) surveyed know someone who in the last 12 months has driven without securing their young child in a child restraint device. The research, conducted in May 2008, was a survey of 1,000 Illinois parents with children under 8 years old.

“Illinois has made great strides in keeping its children safe on the roadways," said Brad Roeber, regional president of AAA Chicago. "But as survey data tells us, there are still some parents who aren't clear on the child restraint law or who need assistance to ensure Illinois children are safely buckled up. We encourage these and all parents to take advantage of Seat Check Saturday as AAA wants the roads to be safe for even its youngest travelers.”

Seat Check Saturday, held on September 20, 2008, is a national child passenger safety event to kick-off Child Passenger Safety Week. In Illinois, AAA partnered with IDOT and Illinois Safe Kids to hold 93 seat check events statewide where parents can go to get their child seats checked for free by trained child seat technicians. As part of Seat Check Saturday, AAA is asking the public to turn in old car seats at these events so they can be properly destroyed. Car seats with a manufacturer’s date before 2002 are too old to be safely used and AAA always cautions people from giving or receiving used car seats. More information on where these events will be held can be found at www.AAA.com/safety.

"It is my mission as Secretary of State to help ensure children are safe and secure while riding in vehicles on our roads," said Secretary of State Jesse White. "I want to emphasize the importance that all children under the age of eight must be secured in an appropriate child safety seat. It is equally important to make sure that every child safety seat is properly installed in the vehicle. For these reasons I am happy to partner with AAA and IDOT to continue offering child safety seat inspections to protect our children and give parents the peace of mind that their children are safe."

For more information on any aspect of AAA Chicago’s breadth of service including AAA’s home, auto and life insurance products; travel-related services, AAA’s Show Your Card & Save program; and/or any AAA membership service including emergency roadside assistance, please visit our Web site at www.AAA.com or call us toll-free at 1-866-YOUR-AAA (968-7222).

Formed in Chicago in 1906, AAA Chicago, also the Chicago Motor Club, represents roadway interests for motorists and pedestrians and serves as a leading advocate for various traffic safety and travel-related issues. AAA Chicago offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with 4.2 million members in eight states. ACG clubs belong to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization, with more than 50 million members in the United States and Canada.