Date and Time
Friday Aug 15, 2014
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM CDT
Friday, August 15, 2014
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Location
Walgreens
1180 N. Farnsworth Ave.
Aurora, IL 60505
Fees/Admission
Free
Website
Kids Identification and Safety Seat (...
Description
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In an effort to keep children safe and parents worry-free this summer, the Illinois Tollway and Illinois State Police District 15 have scheduled free Kids Identification and Safety Seat (K.I.S.S.) events this weekend in Aurora and Hinsdale. Parents, grandparents and caregivers are invited to stop by to create free kids' ID cards and get help with child safety seat inspections.
A free K.I.S.S. will be held on Friday, August 15, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Walgreens located at 1180 N. Farnsworth Ave. in Aurora. Child safety seat inspections and kids' ID card processing will take place in the store parking lot, with games and giveaway items available for kids. In addition, participants will receive information about health care services at Walgreens, including flu shots, immunizations and school physicals.
"Nearly 90 percent of the child safety seats inspected by the Illinois State Police are improperly installed - up from 80 percent last year," said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur. "K.I.S.S. events offer free safety seat checks and ID cards to help keep children safe and provide peace of mind for parents, grandparents and caregivers when they're on the road."
K.I.S.S. events also offer parents and caregivers the opportunity to have ID cards created for children age 3 and older. Specially trained professionals will take kids' photographs and fingerprints and gather vital information to include on three personal ID cards - one for home and two for a wallet or purse. This information will not be stored by police, but rather, used by parents and others in the event of an emergency.
More than 2,100 children - almost two children per minute - are reported missing every day in the United States. And, it is estimated that 34 percent of American parents wouldn't be able to accurately describe their child to law enforcement, including details of exact height and weight, as well as their child's eye color. Many lost children can be located if parents immediately provide police with an accurate description of the child.
K.I.S.S. events provide certified child passenger safety technicians to inspect and install child safety seats and help drivers stay up-to-date with the latest safety seat information and educational materials.
"Securing proper safety restraints for children is the law and no child should travel in a vehicle without being properly restrained at all times," said District 15 Commander Patrick Kimes. "The certified safety seat technicians at K.I.S.S. events make the adjustments needed to keep all kids safe at every stage of their development."
Nationally, car crashes are the number one killer of children ages 1 through 12, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Research on the effectiveness of child safety seats has found them to reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants younger than 1 year old and by 54 percent for toddlers 1 to 4 years old in passenger cars, according to the NHTSA.
K.I.S.S. events offer a convenient way for drivers to make sure they comply with Illinois law, which requires that whenever a person is transporting a child under age 8, the person is responsible for properly securing the child in an appropriate child restraint system.
In 2013, the Tollway and District 15 successfully teamed up to host 10 K.I.S.S. events throughout the region. Last year, certified child passenger safety technicians checked a total of 436 child safety seats and issued nearly 1,200 kids ID cards.
To participate, parents, grandparents and caregivers should bring child safety seats, children and the vehicle in which the child safety seats will be installed. Information on recalls and recall detection, correct positioning, correct sizing to protect the child most effectively, plus additional safety information and resources will be offered at these events.
