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MILWAUKEE (5/17/2012) -  Recently, Safe Kids Wisconsin held its first statewide car seat collection event. The goal was to remove expired, recalled and damaged seats from circulation to ensure they wouldn't be used after purchasing one at a rummage sale or picking one up off the curb. Some seats were more than 30 years old.
Together with local organizations and groups, more than 1,000 seats were dismantled. They were stripped of harnesses, fabric covers, screws, bolts and rivets - leaving a plastic shell. Most of the sites sent the plastic shells to be recycled. The metal is being recycled at local scrap salvages.
Nine Safe Kids Wisconsin coalitions and chapters throughout the state participated, including: Safe Kids Chippewa Valley, Safe Kids Madison Area, Safe Kids Fox Valley, Safe Kids Southeast Wisconsin, Safe Kids La Crosse Coulee Region, Safe Kids Wausau Area, Safe Kids Wood County, Safe Kids Oconto County and Safe Kids Portage County.
Veolia Environmental Services and AAA Insurance were sponsors and supported the successful events.
One in 5 seats is not installed correctly. Parents should visit safekidswi.org to find a car seat check event to make sure their children are riding safely.
For more information about child passenger safety, go to safekidswi.org.
A member of Safe Kids Worldwide, Safe Kids Wisconsin works to prevent accidental injuries, the leading cause of death among children 14 years of age and younger. The coalition combines the expertise of Safe Kids coalitions and chapters statewide to prevent childhood injuries through collaboration, education, policy and advocacy initiatives. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is its lead agency.
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, founded in 1894, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. It has been named one of America's Best Children's Hospitals by U.S.News & World Report. Children's Hospital is a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center verified by the American College of Surgeons. The hospital has been redesignated a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a national honor that recognizes nursing excellence. Private, independent and not-for-profit, the hospital serves children and families from Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, northern Illinois and beyond. In 2010, Children's invested more than $105 million into the community to improve the health status of children. For more information, visit the website at chw.org.
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