Safe Kids Grand Forks Is Having Six Car Seat Check Events During National Child Passenger Safety Week

(KNOX) – This week is National Child Passenger Safety Week and Safe Kids Grand Forks is having six car seat check events across the region. The third week in September is designated annually as National Child Passenger Safety Week. Carma Hanson is the executive director for Safe Kids Grand Forks, and she explains how important it is to bring awareness to child passenger safety. She tells KNOX’s Critical Thought with Noah Chelliah.

A 2026 AAA study with data from the National Safety Council says that up to 87 percent of children prematurely end up only wearing a seat belt and no car seat.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that over 1,000 children younger than 14-years-old died in motor vehicle crashes in 2023. The CDC also says during the same year that 50 percent of children aged 8 to 12 and 37 percent of those between four and seven who were killed in crashes did not wear a seatbelt.

In North Dakota, 75 percent of child car seats checked had at least one safety error.

56 percent had incorrectly used a harness, where straps were not snug enough against the child.

47 percent had incorrect tether, where the top tether that limits forward seat movement when a crash happens, was not attached correctly.

40 percent had incorrect lower anchor use, where the lower anchors and the vehicle seat belt were used together, instead of having one way to put them in.

The six checks will be happening starting today and it will continue through Saturday.

The Grand Forks event is today from 10 am to 12:30pm at the Perkins parking lot, located at 1305 South Columbia Road. There will also be a med take back event that starts at 9am.

The Lakota event is Wednesday, September 23rd from 3pm-6pm at Lakota Childcare Center, located at 516 3rd Street East.

The Ada event is Wednesday, September 23rd from 3:30pm-5:30pm at Little Learners Early Childhood, located at 201 9th Street West.

The East Grand Forks event is Thursday, September 23rd from 9am to 11am at the fire station. This one is by appointment only, and appointments can be made by calling 701-780-1489.

The Grand Forks Air Force Base event is Friday, September 25th from 9am-12pm at the Vehicle Management Building, located at 530 Steen Boulevard.

The Crookston event is Saturday, September 26th from 9am-11am, at Polk County Public Health, located at 816 Marin Avenue.