Free Car Seat Loans
By
Debbie Harmsen
New York State regulations requiring age-appropriate child safety seats began extending to 4- through 6-year-olds when a new booster seat law went into effect in March 2005.
The new law requires all children through age 6 to be in a height/weight-appropriate child-safety seat.
The booster seats must be used along with a combination lap and shoulder safety belt.
Thirty-two other states and Washington, D.C. have such a law in place, as research indicates that child safety seats save nearly three-quarters of all children involved in otherwise fatal crashes.
If you need a car seat for youngsters who are in town, take advantage of the Club's free car seat loan program. A limited number of infant, convertible and booster seats are available to members for up to two weeks. They can be picked up at a branch office, but advance reservations are required (for the holidays they should be made as soon as possible).
"What a great program," wrote member Harriet Seiler, who borrowed two car seats this summer. "The seats were ready when I came to the Garden City office. They were clean (and) they came with instructions."
The Automobile Club of New York is one of just a few clubs in the nation that provide this service.
** If you are traveling out of state and are in need of a car seat at your destination, we recommend that you bring your car seat with you or make arrangements to rent one from your car rental agency.
Call the Club at 516/ 873-2364, 212/ 586-1166, 718/ 224-2222 or 914/ 948-4600 ext. 2364 to reserve a seat.
Or
e-mail the Club with the following information:
Membership number
Pick-up date (Monday-Saturday)
Branch office where you will pick up the car seat
Age of child (and size, if it's exceptional)
Daytime phone number for confirmation
** Note: All e-mailed requests will be confirmed via a call from the Club.
