Mother properly secures child in car seat. Photo via CBS. You pay big bucks for car seats. Therefore, you expect they will keep precious cargo safe. “Car seats depending on the type can decrease fatality or severe injury by anywhere from 70 to 90 percent,” said Sally Kreuscher, SafeKids coordinator at Golisano Children’s Hospital. But it will only work if you use the car seat correctly. The car seat wasn’t correctly used in the devastating crash last week that claimed the life of a 9-month-old baby. However, parents can take steps to avoid that nightmare. Golisano Children’s Hospital is among the 12 places in Southwest Florida that will inspect your car seat for free. With the help of Kreuscher, I had my kids’ car seats checked. “Harnessing probably is the biggest misuse that we see,” Kreuscher said. “Families don’t know where the chest clip goes, where the harness strap goes.” The harness strap goes at or below the baby’s shoulder when rear facing. They go at or above the child’s shoulders when forward facing. The chest clip goes at the armpit level. Also, have your child face backward until he or she maxes out the weight limit for rear-facing. Then, turn them forward. And, you can only use these until the child and car seat together weigh 65 pounds. Then, secure the car seat with a seat-belt. Either way, know this. “When families install the seat they don’t get it as nice and tight,” Kreuscher said. “Manufacturers allow up to one inch of movement.” The next time you travel in your vehicle with precious cargo, remember these tips. Vehicle crashes are the leading killer for children between ages 1 to 13-years-old. ___ The following are the 12 places in Southwest Florida that will inspect your car seat for free: Safe Kids Southwest Florida North Fort Myers Fire Department 2900 Trail Dairy Circle North Fort Myers, FL 33917 Schedule: Monday – Friday 9:00 AM To 4:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Christi Kulwicki C.Kulwicki@northfortmyersfire.com 239-997-8654 Department of Health-Charlotte County 1100 Loveland Boulevard Port Charlotte, FL 33980 Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM To 5:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Heather Boyd Heather.Boyd@flhealth.gov 941- 624-7273 Twinkle Twinkle Little Store 4172 Tamiami Trail N. Naples, FL 34103 Schedule: Monday – Sunday 9:00 AM To 6:30 PM Appointment Required: No Department of Health-Collier 3339 Tamiami Trail East, Bldg. H Naples, FL 34112 Schedule: 2nd Monday of the month 9:00 AM To 12:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Brenda Hernandez Brenda.Herndez@LeeHealth.org 239-565-8371 Department of Health 83 Pondella Road North Fort Myers, FL 33903 Schedule: 2nd Friday of the month 9:00 AM To 12:00 PM Appointment Required: No Healthcare Network of SW Florida 1441 Heritage Boulevard Immokalee, FL 34142 Schedule: 1st Tuesday of the month 9:00 AM To 4:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Brenda Hernandez Brenda.herndez@leememorial.org 239-565-8371 Cape Coral Hospital 636 Del Prado Blvd S. Cape Coral, FL 33990 Schedule: Tuesday,Thursday 9:00 AM To 5:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Lorena Rodriguez Lore.Rodriguez@LeeHealth.org 239-343-5803 Golisano Nicklaus Children’s Health Center 3361 Pine Ridge Road, Ste. 106 Naples, FL 34109 Schedule: Monday – Friday 9:00 AM To 4:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Brenda Hernandez Brenda.Herndez@LeeHealth.org 239-565-8371 Florida Highway Patrol 10031 Daniels Parkway Fort Myers, FL 33913 Schedule: 1st Friday of the month 9:00 AM To 12:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Greg Bueno gregbueno@flhsmv.gov 239-229-9605 Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District 5700 Pine Island Rd. Bokeelia, FL 33922 Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM To 4:00 PM Appointment Required: No The Golisano Children’s Hospital of SouthWest Florida 9981 S HealthPark Drive Fort Myers, FL 33908 Schedule: Monday – Saturday 8:30 AM To 5:00 PM Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Sally Kreuscher sally.kreuscher@leememorial.org 239-343-6199 Collier County Sheriff’s Office 3301 Tamiami Trail E. Building J. Naples, FL 34112 Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM To 5:00 AM To Appointment Required: Yes Contact: Marianna Herrera marian.herrera@colliersheriff.org 239-252-0367 The car seat inspection will take less than 30 minutes.