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Ensuring that your precious cargo is safe while driving is as easy as having a suitable car seat.

Safe Kids Adams County is teaming up with Kohl's, Allied Waste and the Quincy Fire Department to encourage everyone to properly dispose of unsafe or unused car seats.

There are several important factors that make a car seat unsafe.

It's important to never purchase a used car seat or one from a yard sale. Purchasing a used seat means you're less likely to know the history or recall status of the seat. Many times the label is unreadable or even missing. 

If the car seat is more that six-years-old or if it's ever been in a car crash, it's time to get a new one. Another important factor that drives a car seat onto the unsafe list is if the car seat has any visible cracks or deformities.

This Saturday, May 12, from 10 a.m. to noon, you can take your unused or unsafe car seat to Kohl's parking lot located at 6100 Broadway in Quincy. For exchange of your old car seat, you will get a $10 Kohl's gift certificate. 

Quincy firefighter Chris Patterson encourages anyone needing help with installing a car seat to come to any of the Quincy Fire Department station sites. There is someone there from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to assist and ensure that your child's car seat is properly installed and safe to use.

Patterson also reminds us to tighten up the straps on car seats as the spring and summer seasons approach. After shedding your child's winter coat, the straps may be to loose and your child is not properly protected in the case of a car crash.

For more information on this Saturday's Car Seat Round-Up, please contact Kathy Veihl at 217-222-8440.