Those of us with small children know that life can be hectic. Leaving the house with your kiddo can be a like standing in the middle of a tornado.

While its understandable that we may need to cut corners to get where we need to go on time, ensuring that your child’s car seat is properly installed is one of the most important things you can do.

To help keep area kids safe, UP Family Doula Care will be offering free car seat checks, as well as free car seats to qualifying families on Sunday.

They will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Forsyth Township Fire Department, located at 180 Depot Road in Gwinn.

Families can qualify for a free car seat if they are participants in a state or federal program such as Medicaid, foster care or WIC, the Federal family assistance program.

According to Lacy Anderson of UP Family Doula Care, the services provided at this event will include making sure the child is in the appropriate seat and that the seat is properly installed in the vehicle, as well as checking to make sure there is nothing wrong with the seat.

“Nearly 70 percent of seats are installed incorrectly or a child is switched to a different stage too early,” said Anderson. “With the recent law changes, we will be helping parents ensure they are following the current laws but also giving education on the recommendations on how to ensure their child is secured safely for each ride in the car.”

The change in law she referenced is about a Michigan state law that took effect on April 2, mandating that all children under 4-feet 9 inches tall or under the age of 8 ride in car seats that are appropriate for their age, weight and height. More information about this law can be found on the state of Michigan’s official website.

According to a state of Michigan press release, “Child restraints reduce traffic crash fatalities by 71 percent for infants younger than 1 year old and by 54 percent for children 1 to 4 years old in passenger cars.” However, it is important to note that these fatality reduction statistics are specific to situations in which the restraint was fitted and used correctly.

“To receive a new seat at this event, families must register ahead of time, and if they are unable to attend this event, we do private appointments and we will be hosting more events in the future,” said Anderson.

We would encourage everyone with kids who are still in car seats attend this event to make sure that your little one is safe. We would also like to applaud UP Family Doula Care for their great service to our community.