I just got off the phone with Chuck Hirata. He is the Child Passenger Safety Coordinator for Maui County. I’m in the middle of my Car Seat Safety video series and wanted to add information for those of you in Maui County so that you can follow the recommendations in my videos and then actually physically go somewhere to make sure that it has been done correctly.

 

Here are the videos that have been launched so far in our “BIRTH TO BOOSTERS CAR SEAT SAFETY SERIES” — Please bookmark this page to see the rest of the series (I will add them here once they are posted) which will also address front-facing only car seats, high back and no back booster seats and when to move from one to the next.
 

Installing an Infant Car Seat (Written Blog)

 

 

Attaching an Infant in a Rear-Facing Infant Seat (Written Blog)

 

 

Convertible Seats – When to Move Up, What You Need to Know (Written Blog)

 

 

Convertible Car Seats: Installing in the Car, Attaching Your Baby (Written Blog)

 

 

Forward-Facing Car Seats: What You Need to Know (Written Blog)

 

 

Forward-Facing Car Seats: The Tether, Properly Installing Them

 

Forward-Facing Car Seats: Securing Your Child

 

 

Booster Seats: When to Move into a Booster Seat

 

 

Booster Seats: How to Install a No Back Booster

 

 

Booster Seats: How to Install a High Back Booster

 

 

Booster Seats: When Can My Child Move OUT of the Booster Seat

 

 

Chuck says the biggest challenge they face is “non-use and people with their elementary school kids not using booster seats.” He says you need to remember “the law is a low bar” and in order to give your kids the best protection possible you need to go above and beyond. “I always tell people, if it was my child or grandchild I would do everything I could to keep them safe and use best practices. It’s difficult to repair necks and spinal cords. It’s much safer to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible… at least until the age of 2 and some even keep them in until 3.5 years.”

 

Chuck has been doing this since 1995. These days, they do a monthly check-up every third Saturday of the month at the Maui Marketplace – 270 Dairy Road – in the parking lot in front of Pier 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It is FREE to the public and encouraged for all parents to come on down and ask whatever questions you may have.

 

In addition to this monthly event, if you need or want to get a car seat safety check right away – that is available to you! There are several “Fitting Stations” across Maui County where you can just show up and ask them to come check your seat. All you have to do is visit one of these police stations: Kihei, Wailuku, Hana, Molokai & Lanai.

 

In addition to that, you can always go to their Facebook page where they are more than willing to answer any burning questions you may have. Click HERE. 

 

On Oahu, you can also make an appointment at Health Connections to get a FREE check — Just call, 877-709-WELL (9355).