Susan Chiddister, a registered nurse for the Whitfield County Health Department, looks over car seats purchased with the Car Seat Mini-Grant awarded by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Office of Injury Prevention.

County health departments in North Georgia Health District 1-2, based in Dalton, were recently awarded the 2013 Car Seat Mini-Grant by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Office of Injury Prevention.

Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield County Health Departments will provide car seats and education to financially eligible families in north Georgia. The Governor's Office of Highway Safety and the Maternal and Child Health Program fund this grant to help ensure Georgia's children are safe while riding in motor vehicles.

Through the mini-grant, agencies supporting more than 140 counties are working to keep Georgia's children safe. These programs help families get their children buckled up right, every trip, every time.

And it works -- since 2007, at least 229 children in Georgia involved in crashes were saved from serious injury or death by car seats, booster seats and education provided through the mini-grant. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent among infants and by 54 percent among children ages 1 to 4 years in passenger cars. Car seats offer the best protection for children in the event of a crash, and they are most effective when installed and used correctly. Nearly three out of every four car seats are not used properly, placing children at unnecessary risk.

"It's our responsibility to keep our children safe," said Gayle Brannon, manager of the Whitfield County Health Department. "The Car Seat Mini-Grant is a great opportunity to help our community and help protect our kids from serious injuries or death in motor vehicle crashes."

The Whitfield County Health Department is partnering with Safe Kids Dalton to educate parents and caregivers on how to properly install and use car seats, offer car seat inspections and provide car seats and booster seats to financially eligible families.

In Fannin County, the health department is coordinating its Car Seat Mini-Grant efforts with the Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) and Georgia State Patrol.

-Story by Public Information Officer Jennifer King, North Georgia Health District 1-2