Dorel Juvenile Opens Car Seat Inspection Station

Car seat manufacturer Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) today opened a free, permanent car seat inspection station at the Dorel Technical Center for Child Safety at its corporate headquarters in Columbus, Indiana. This is part of the "Safety Starts Here" campaign, and is to be followed by a series of car seat checks across the country beginning later this spring.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 75 percent of car seats on the road today are installed incorrectly. A survey of parents by AAA found that only about one in four (26%) respondents could identify proper child safety seat age and height recommendations and less than half (44%) knew the safest position for a single car seat was the center of the rear seat.

The new Car Seat Inspection Station will be open to the public Wednesday through Friday by appointment and located at the Dorel Technical Center for Child Safety. Certified car seat technicians will inspect and assist parents and caregivers in installing correctly all car seats, regardless of the brand and model.

The Technical Center features advanced car seat research and design resources, including computational engineering resources, environmental lab testing, three independent crash test sleds, and advanced side impact testing capabilities.

"Safety is more than a mission statement for us, it is an oath that our employees take to heart and make a part of their everyday lives," said Dave Taylor, President and CEO of Dorel Juvenile Group US. "With the Technical Center we are able to develop cutting-edge safety technology, and the new Car Seat Check Station allows us to ensure proper usage with parents.  We're proud to be able to see safety through from production to a family's back seat."