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Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 19 September 2017 19 September 2017

Santa Fe, NM – Today, the New Mexico Department of Transportation announced the sponsorship of annual statewide child safety seat clinics. The clinics will be held Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to noon. The clinics will take place in eight cities and nine different locations as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week Seat Check Saturday.

"We are pleased to be able to offer these clinics to the parents and caregivers of New Mexico. It is through education, advocacy, and community outreach efforts such as this that we are able to save lives," said NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Tom Church. "A simple mistake could leave a child dangerously vulnerable in the event of a crash. Getting proper instruction from a certified technician can help reduce the risk of injury or even death for children involved in a motor vehicle crash."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated three out of four child safety seats are not used correctly. However, the use of child safety seats reduces fatal injury by 71 percent in infants and by 54 percent for toddlers (children 1 to 4 years of age) in passenger cars.

At the statewide event, parents and caregivers will have access to personal instruction from certified technicians on the proper selection and use of their child safety seats. The clinics are held on a first-come, first-served basis. The service is free and open to the public.

The clinics are a public service provided by the NMDOT's Traffic Safety Division and Safer New Mexico Now. Kohl's Department Stores is partnering with NMDOT through the Kohl's Cares Community Outreach Program.

Statewide child safety seat clinics will be held at the following locations:

• Alamogordo:
Walmart, 233 South New York Ave.
• Albuquerque North:
Kohl's, 6800 Holly Ave. NE
• Albuquerque West:
Kohl's, 3715 Ellison Rd. NW
• Artesia:
West Main Baptist Church, 1701 W. Main Street
• Clovis:
Walmart, 3728 N. Prince Street
• Farmington:
San Juan Plaza, 3030 East Main Street, Staples parking lot
• Las Cruces:
Kohl's, 2500 North Triviz Dr.
• Santa Fe:
Kohl's, 4401 Cerrillos Rd.
• Taos:
Holy Cross Hospital, 1397 Weimer Rd.

For more information about National Child Passenger Safety Week Seat Check Saturday, or for other child passenger safety information, call 800-231-6145 or visit www.safernm.org.

For more information about the New Mexico Department of Transportation, visit www.dot.state.nm.us.