Lake County Gazette

Child Passenger Safety Week is Sept. 17-23, and Sen. Craig Wilcox shared that information with his constituents in a Sept. 19 Facebook post. He also shared a link for constituents in the 32nd District to find a child safety seat clinic in the district.

"It's Child Passenger Safety Week in Illinois and a good time to remind parents and caregivers that state law requires children to ride in a child safety seat until age 8 and in a rear-facing car seat until age 2," Wilcox wrote in his Facebook post. "This week there are certified child passenger safety technicians available to provide free car seat safety checks at many locations in the 32nd District."

Wilcox, a Republican who was first elected to the Illinois Senate in 2018, represents the 32nd District, which includes areas such as Richmond, Antioch, Woodstock, Crystal Lake, Cary, Lake Villa, and Fox Lake.

Sen. Craig Wilcox | SenatorWilcox.com

The National Safety Council (NSC) has also called for stronger standards on passenger safety restraints. In addition to recommending lap and shoulder belts on new school buses, the NSC suggests that children sit rear facing until they are three years old and that children under 13 do not ride in the front seat of a car.

To ensure that child safety seats are properly installed, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) emphasizes the importance of following state law. According to IDOT, children under the age of eight must be properly restrained in an appropriate child restraint system. From birth to three years, children should ride in a rear-facing seat, although the law states age two. For youths two to seven years old, a forward-facing seat with a five-point harness is recommended, and for those four to 12 years old, a booster seat is an option. Each type of seat has height and weight restrictions that determine when a child should transition to a different type of seat.

For residents of the 32nd District, there are more than 347 sites where child safety seats can be checked to ensure they are correctly installed. Sen. Wilcox shared a link to a map that includes these inspection stations.

Child Passenger Safety Week serves as a reminder to parents and caregivers in Illinois to prioritize the safety of children while traveling in motor vehicles. By following state laws and recommendations from organizations like the NSC, parents can help protect their children in the event of a car accident.