Editorial: Better safety needed for a car’s child seat

Thursday, Jan. 14, 1999 | 10:20 a.m.

The National Transportation Safety Board is calling for a nationwide network of fitting stations to help parents make sure that their child car seats are properly installed. There surely is a need for more education -- the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration estimates that 80 percent of child car seats aren't used correctly. If parents properly install their seats, the NHSTA believes 68 more lives would be saved every year.

As any parent can attest, setting up these seats isn't easy, even with instructions. Under the safety board's recommendation, fitting stations could be placed across the nation at vehicle inspection sites, DMV offices, fire stations or even car dealerships. There is no price tag yet for this type of program, but NTSB Chairman Jim Hall indicated the funding should come from government transportation dollars.

The United States has come a long way in placing a priority on auto safety, especially for children. But if parents aren't using these safety measures correctly, then what good does the advanced technology do? The federal government should take seriously the NTSB's recommendation and determine whether it would be cost-effective to pursue such a proposal.