We strongly encourage everyone who has a small child to go out to the Alabaster Fire Station No. 3 May 6 from 1:30-3 p.m. for a child safety seat checkpoint. Firefighters will install and examine child safety seats for free.

According to Alabaster Fire Lt. Ched Burton, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children in the United States. The Alabaster Fire and Rescue Department is doing its part to ensure fewer children die in Shelby County.

The Alabama Department of Public Health states on its website four out of five children are not properly restrained in safety seats.

Children in different age groups need different child safety seats. It’s essential for parents to follow the recommendations for child safety seats — doing so could mean the difference between life and death in the case of an accident.

We thank the Alabaster Fire Department for holding the checkpoint. The department is providing a much-needed service for the community, and we are grateful.

If any Shelby County parent can’t make it out to the Alabaster Fire Department May 6, there are several safety seat inspection stations around Alabama and in the Birmingham area. To find an inspection station, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at Nhtsa.gov.

For more information on child safety seat laws, visit Adph.org.