Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP Jocelyn Long, a child passenger safety technician and nurse, helps 3-year-old Maverick Papamichael pick out the right size "Buckle Me Baby Coat" during Monday's child seat safety program. Long gave away 379 coats at the event, representing the number of children under age 7 who died in car crashes in 2020, many due to improperly installed car seats. (Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP)

NASHUA — For moms and dads of youngsters of car-seat age, a look at the statistics compiled by experts in car-seat safety may prove quite surprising — not to mention distressing.

For instance, studies have found that three out of every four car seats are installed incorrectly, and in many cases, those improper installations led to the injuries — and deaths — of children involved in car crashes.

Some 379 children were killed in car seats in 2019, according to Barbara DiGirolamo, the coordinator of the Injury Prevention Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she is also associated with the trauma center surgery department.

Many people are unaware, she said, that car seats must be installed facing the back of the vehicle for children up to 40 pounds.

DiGirolamo was the keynote speaker for the roughly 2-hour event, which was organized by Southern New Hampshire Services and held on the grounds of the Arlington Street Community Center.

Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP Jocelyn Long, a child passenger safety technician and nurse who worked at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, demonstrates a "Buckle Me Baby Coat" to Bonnie Divenuti, one of the dozens of people who visited Monday's car seat safety exhibit at the Arlington Street Community Center. (Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP)

It was held in conjunction with Child Passenger Safety Month, which is observed each September with various programs and events.

The good news, DiGirolamo said, is that properly installed car seats can reduce car-seat crash injuries by between 71% and 82%.

In addition to DeGirolamo’s booth, another featured a product called Buckle Me Baby Coats, which Jocelyn Long, a child passenger safety technician (CPST) and a nurse affiliated with the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, demonstrated for visitors.

“I saw a lot of children injured in car-seat crashes come in when I was at Elliot,” Long said.

She also gave away 379 Buckle Me Baby Coats during the event, a number that represents the number of children killed in car-seat crashes in 2019.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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