CRANBERRY TWP — Mandy Cousins, Cranberry Township EMS outreach coordinator, has a sign in her office with an alarming statistic: Up to 90 percent of car seats are improperly installed.

“Having an installed car seat is only half the battle if you're not using it correctly,” Cousins said.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 96 percent of parents believe they have installed their child's car seat correctly.

The NHTSA also reports car crashes are the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 2 and 14.

That's why Cranberry EMS has taken the step to have staff-trained car seat inspectors, who examine and correct the installation and educate parents on the proper use of these vital safety tools.

The EMS service's car seat inspection program is conducted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday by half-hour appointment and aims to increase car safety.

“They're not just, 'Oh, that's good, it's in your car, that looks great,'” Cousins said. “It's kind of like a mini car seat class. ...

“Of course we look at how it's installed in the vehicle, but we're instructing the parent about how it's installed.”

Cranberry EMS's four car seat technicians and three technician instructors have expert-level certification, the highest in the state.

Ted Fessides, EMS chief, said the department was the first in the state to achieve that status when the commonwealth created that level in its voluntary pediatric services recognition program.

“We not only have the basic equipment, but we do background checks, we do educational processes, we do community outreach and then, of course, we have car seat technicians here,” Cousins said.

“All of these have to be incorporated to get to that level of expertise, so that's another point of pride for us,” he said.

Installation errors

According to the NHTSA, the most common error with child seats is a loose installation of lower anchors and tethers, known as the LATCH system.

Another frequent error is parents trying to use both the LATCH and the seatbelt system.

Other car seat mistakes include twisted lower anchor straps, inappropriate recline positions and incorrect carrying handle positions. These errors can result in injury in the case of an accident, officials say.

Cousins also noted that some people have too many loose objects in the car, which can become dangerous in a collision.

In addition, a safe practice is to install the car seat in the center of the backseat when there is one child, Cousins said.

This installation allows parents to remove their child from the car without stepping into traffic if they park on a street, and it adds more protection in the case of a broadside crash.

The car seat inspection program is held at the EMS station, 20727 Route 19, and is free of cost.

Safe Landings

Cranberry EMS also offers the Safe Landings Program, an in-home safety program for new and expectant parents.

Safe Landings is a four-hour course which includes CPR training for up to 10 family members or caregivers, a home safety inspection, car seat check and education on safe sleeping practices.

While this program comes with a $150 fee, some health insurance companies reimburse that amount, Cousins said.

Cousins said the home safety inspection is beneficial because it will expose issues that may not be obvious. Sharp corners are just one part of the battle.

One overlooked item is baby gates at the top of stairs. Cousins said the pressure-open ones can lead to injury, while mounted sliding gates will help prevent that.

For safe sleeping practices, Cousins said the educator will inform new or expectant parents about sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, and help explain best practices, like keeping cribs on a harder surface and clearing the sleeping area from any soft items.

WHAT: Free child car seat inspectionWHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday by half-hour appointmentWHERE: Cranberry Township EMS station, 20727 Route 19