Kids Identification and Safety Seat events conclude for the summer but set to return in 2023
2022-10-07
The final Kids Identification and Safety Seat (K.I.S.S.) event of the year drew parents and their children to Itasca in September, wrapping up the Operation Kid 2022 safety program hosted by the Illinois Tollway and Illinois State Police.
But the Tollway and Illinois State Police already are looking to expand the popular K.I.S.S. safety program in 2023, which resumed this year following a two-year pause forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re thrilled we could resume this program this year and are pleased that parents and their children came out this summer to take advantage of the free safety seat inspections and to obtain kids’ ID cards,” said Trooper Duane Chappell, who manages the K.I.S.S. program for Illinois State Police District 15. “But we’re already looking ahead to next year with plans to increase the number of events offered across northern Illinois, which will enable more families to participate and take these precautions that will help protect their children.”
The September 24 event at the Itasca Fire Protection District allowed parents to obtain free ID cards for their young children and have the child safety seats in their vehicles installed or inspected to ensure they are properly placed. This event coincided with Seat Check Saturday, a national initiative that encourages parents to ensure their youngsters are riding in properly installed safety seats, which reduce the risk of death from a crash by up to 70 percent, according to federal statistics.
Seat Check Saturday concludes Child Passenger Safety Week, a program by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to promote the use of correctly installed child safety and booster seats to protect infants and children. In 2020, 34 percent of the children killed in car crashes nationwide weren’t restrained, NHTSB figures show.
While properly installed safety seats reduce the chances of children suffering serious or fatal injuries in crashes, Illinois State Police find that as many as 90 percent of the seats inspected are not correctly installed.
During the three K.I.S.S. events held this summer, nearly 130 kids’ ID cards were issued to families and more than 50 safety seats were inspected or installed. Next year, preliminary plans are to host at least six K.I.S.S. events.
Illinois law requires that all children under age 8 must be properly secured in an appropriate child restraint system when riding in a vehicle with family or other caregivers. In addition, as of January 1, 2019, children under age 2 years are required by Illinois law to ride rear-facing, unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall, to protect their developing muscles and bones.
Providing parents with ID cards containing their child’s photo and other specific information, including their height and weight—can help authorities more quickly locate and identify a lost or missing child, Chappell said.