Child Passenger Safety Week - KOAM TV 7

Nearly 3/4 of car sets, booster seats and seat belts aren't used properly

Monday marks the first day for Child Passenger Safety Week leading the Joplin Police Department to crack down on those violating child restraint laws.

JPD says statistics show 73% of all child restraints are not used correctly.  That includes car seats, booster seats and seat belts.

Missouri law requires all children under eight years old to be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat unless they are 4'9" or 80 pounds.

Officials say this week's campaign is an aggressive approach on child safety seat violators and a good way to reduce the number of highway fatalities and injuries to children.

"Those seats do have to be properly attached," says Sgt. Rusty Rives of the Joplin Police Department.  "Just putting a child in a seat and a seatbelt over them doesn't work.  The child seat itself has to be attached to the car properly, either through the seatbelt or through the latch system."

Officials say if a driver is pulled over for violating a child safety seat law they could be fined up to $120.