U.S. Virgin Islands – The Virgin Islands Police Department VIPD)/Office of Highway Safety (VIOHS) hosted Seat Check Saturday at the Wendy’s parking lot on Saturday, September 27th to ensure safe child restraint use for caregivers with seats and to provide new safety restraints for caregivers in need.
Car seats and booster seats are required in the territory for child passengers under age 8 or shorter than 4’9” tall. According to the 2024 Rear Seat Observational Survey commissioned by VIOHS, 61.6% of children under age 8 were observed riding unrestrained or under-restrained in the back seat. Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and Occupant Protection Program Manager, Denise Gomes, stated, “With an average of 14 crashes being logged daily, it is imperative that caregivers take a proactive approach when securing child passengers.” All seats checked at the event were found to have usage errors like misrouted belts, loose straps, expired seats, and disconnected tethers that could cause harm to child crash victims. Caregivers in need of seats received appropriate restraints and training for their safe use.
For more child passenger safety information or resources, contact the Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety through Director Daphne O’Neal at daphne.oneal@vipd.vi.gov, Occupant Protection Program Manager Denise Gomes at denise.gomes@vipd.vi.gov, or via telephone at (340) 712-6073 or (340) 473- 7383.
