MANTON -- 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly!

The Safe Kids of Wexford and Missaukee Counties and United Way sponsored an event this afternoon to keep kids safer. The Safe Kids Car Safety Seat event was held at the Manton Fire Department.

You could bring your car seat in and they would check it for you, and if need be, replace it. If you didn't have one, they would provide you with a new one after teaching you how to install it correctly. Without correct installation, the seat may not protect your child properly.

Representatives from the Child Protection Council Coordination said that many times people don't realize their car seat was re-called, or that the plastic wears out and breaks down after six years- and the seat should be replaced.

While many events are held in Cadillac, the organizations are trying to branch out to more communities around the area to make it easier for people to attend and to also raise awareness.

Niki Schultz of the CPCC stated, "Eight out of ten times when the parents come in their car seats are installed incorrectly. It's not that it's a hard thing, it's just not knowing how to do it. When you come in and we check it for you then we're teaching you how to do it correctly- we're not just doing it for you, we're giving you the knowledge of how to do it correctly every time. You have nothing to lose - if your car seat's already installed correctly, then great- if not, then we're making your kids safer."

The entire process takes between half an hour and an hour (usually right around 45 minutes) and they provide snacks and juiceboxes, along with some outdoor toys like balls and pinwheels, to keep your child occupied during the process if needed.

If you missed the event today, there is a state trooper at the Cadillac post who is trained to check your car seat (just make sure you call ahead of arriving) and you can also contact the CPCC for events or to have Schultz check your car seat.