WINNIPEG, February 14, 2008 — Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) recently launched a pilot project aimed at keeping young children safe in vehicles.
The Manitoba Child Car Seat Program will allow parents to have improved public education information via new videos, pamphlets and public presentations.
�Eight of 10 car seats in Manitoba are not used properly,� says Shauna Neiser of Manitoba Public Insurance�s Road Safety department. �The more opportunities for inspections and information we can get out to parents, the better.�
This six-month community pilot project, which began February 9, will be offered every second Saturday of each month. The free, drop-in clinics are held at Manitoba Public Insurance�s claim centre at 930 St. Mary�s Rd. (Time: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.). Parents are invited to bring their child and their child car seat to the clinic for inspection by nationally certified St. John Ambulance car-seat technicians.
These clinics will complement inspections already being offered on a drop-in basis at seven Winnipeg Fire Stations.
Manitoba Public Insurance has worked with St. John Ambulance and its national Child Restraint System training system since 2002, to certify people in child car-seat inspections. This training � provided free by Manitoba Public Insurance � allows the technicians to properly inspect car-seat installations.
The key focuses are to check if the child is in an appropriate seat for his or her weight or height, to check if the child is restrained properly, and inspect if the seat is installed correctly.
Outside of Winnipeg, inspections are also offered with the assistance of the Brandon Fire Service and community volunteers throughout Manitoba.
