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September 17, 2026 – The Macon County Health Department will offer free car seat checks on Friday, September 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Macon County Health Department.
The event is part of Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs September 20 through 26. The annual observance is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and local communities across the country.
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be available to help parents and caregivers determine the appropriate car seat for their child and demonstrate how to correctly install and use the seat.
Child passenger restraints vary by a child’s age and developmental stage and can include rear-facing and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts. Children should remain in each type of restraint until they reach its height or weight limits. NHTSA also recommends that children under age 13 ride in the back seat.
According to NHTSA, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. In 2024, an average of two children under age 14 were killed each day in crashes, while another 349 children were injured each day while riding in passenger vehicles.
Caregivers attending the September 25 event should bring the child who will be using the car seat, the vehicle owner’s manual and, if possible, the car seat instruction manual.
Appointments are not required, and checks will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to schedule an appointment for another day, call the Macon County Health Department at 217-423-6988 and choose option 6.
Additional child passenger safety information is available through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
