Child Passenger Seat Inspections

cshome.gif
The Amherst Police Department is committed to keeping our children safe.
We recognize that motor vehicle crashes pose a tremendous risk for children. Nationwide traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. According to the US Department of Transportation in the United States during 2010, more than 1,200 children ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 171,000 were injured.
When properly installed, child safety seats reduce the risk of death in a motor vehicle crash by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. Safety belts reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a motor vehicle crash by up to 50%. For more information on Child Passenger Safety and other traffic safety tips, go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website or the Child Passenger Safety Seat section of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division, website.

Child Seat Inspections by the Amherst Police Department

We conduct inspections on a "as request" basis. Our certified technicians will thoroughly inspect your child passenger car seats for wear and effectiveness and install it properly to assure the safest ride for our children. Please call the Amherst Police Department at 413-259-3000 to see if 1 of our technicians are on-duty. Also, for those families that cannot afford to purchase a child passenger safety seat, the Amherst Police Department has free child passenger safety seats to distribute. These seats have been purchased by a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Highway Safety Division. Our technicians can distribute and install the child passenger safety seat.

Also, the University of Massachusetts Police Department and the Western MA SAFE KIDS Coalition also conduct frequent seat inspections and installations. Please contact the Western MA SAFE KIDS Coalition, which conducts weekly checkpoints on Thursdays, 9:00AM-4:30PM by appointment only, at 413-794-2255 to schedule your appointment. To contact the University of Massachusetts Police Department, contact Officer James Roberts at 413-545-2121.

If you have questions, please contact Amherst Police Sergeant Janet Lopez  or 413-259-3008.

For more information on highway safety initiatives throughout the Commonwealth, please visit the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division.