PIERRE, S.D. – Project 8, the Governor's Child Seat Program is partnering with the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety, local law enforcement and other safety agencies across the state to help increase awareness of proper child safety seat utilization and installation as part of May Mobilization, held May 1-31, 2009.

Project 8 will hold free child safety seat check-up events across the state during May Mobilization to demonstrate the proper way to install child safety seats and help adults ensure their child safety seats are installed correctly, reducing the risk of injury.

Below is a list of sites where inspections and installations will take place:

• May 2: Rapid Valley School Bike Rodeo, 2601 Covington St., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• May 8: Pierre Fire Station #4, 801 Pierce, 4-6 p.m.
• May 12: Onida, Sarah Birney Day Care, 4-6 p.m.
• May 12: Wagner, Tiwahe Wakan, 121 S. Main St., 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• May 15: Watertown Hy-Vee, 1320 9th St. SE, TBA
• May 18: Flandreau, Moody County Community Services, 309 N. Prairie, 2-5 p.m.
• May 18: Sioux Falls, CHILD Center, 2420 W. 8th, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
• May 19: Canton, City Hall, 4-7 p.m.
• May 21: Aberdeen, Culver's, 616 Centenniel Street S, 3-6 p.m.
• May 22: Kennebec Court House, 300 S. Main, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• May 26: Mobridge, Burger King, Hwy 12, 3:30 - 7 p.m.
• May 27: Clear Lake Community Center, 2:30 -5:30 p.m.
• May 30: Mitchell, Davison County Fairgrounds, 1 - 4 p.m.
• May 31: Aberdeen, Fairgrounds Expo, 1 - 3 p.m.

The purpose of Project 8 is to remind all parents, child care providers, and other guardians to use the proper restraint system for their child’s height and weight. Once a child reaches 40 pounds, a booster seat should be utilized until the child is at least 8 years old. By then most children reach the proper height and weight requirements (4’9” and more than 80 pounds) to ride safely in a seatbelt.

Project 8 also distributes infant seats, toddler seats, or booster seats to income eligible families across South Dakota. To learn more about the events occurring around the state now and throughout the summer, contact the Department of Social Services at 605-773-4766 or visit http://www.state.sd.us/project8/.

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