Car Seat Program
Program Overview
The biggest threat to the health and safety of young children is an automobile accident. More young children die or are seriously injured each year from these crashes than from any illness or other type of accident. Yet, the tragedies resulting from automobile crashes can be reduced dramatically by the consistent, proper use of child safety seats and safety belts.
The Car Seat Program is a nonprofit program that is administered by Umatilla Morrow County Head Start. This is provided without federal or state funding and relies on donations from local groups and foundations.
The program is provided as a service to Umatilla and Morrow County Residents.
Car Seats are provided to low income families at a reduced cost. The price of the seats range from $10.00 to $30.00 depending on the seat needed.
Why a car seat distribution program?
To provide protection for children
To promote the safety belt habit
To assist families to comply with Oregon State Law.
Child Safety Seat Law
Child passengers must be restrained in child safety seats until they weigh forty pounds or reach the upper weight limit for the car seat in use. Infants must ride rear-facing until they reach two years of age unless the child turned age one prior to May 26, 2017.
Booster Seat Law
Children over forty pounds or who have reached the upper weight limit for their forward-facing car seat must use boosters to 4’9″ tall or age eight and the adult belt fits correctly.
Rear Seating for Children
There is no Oregon law specifically prohibiting children from riding in the front seat of passenger vehicles. However, a rear-facing infant seat cannot be placed in a front seating position that is equipped with an airbag because this would violate Oregon’s requirement for “proper use” of a child safety seat. There is a national “best practice recommendation” calling for rear seating through age twelve.
Children under the age of 13 years of age ride safer in the back seat.
Publicity about the program will help increase the public awareness of the life saving and injury-reducing benefits of safety restraints.
You will get training on:
Proper vehicle installation of safety seats
Proper adjustment of seat to child
What to bring with you?
The vehicle, with working seat belts in place, in which the seat is to be installed.
The infant-child for which the seat is intended.
Proof of current OHP, Oregon Trail Card, WIC Voucher, or SSI.
Money to pay the reduced co-pay for the seat.
How does the program work?
Very simply, Umatilla-Morrow Head Start, Inc. provides car seats to low-income families at a reduced cost.
CONVERTIBLE SEATS $35.00
HIGH BACK BOOSTER $20.00
NO BACK BOOSTER $10.00
Please Call for an Appointment:
Hermiston: 541-564-6878
Pendleton: 541-966-3354