The Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force, in association with University Medical Center New Orleans, will offer free child car seat inspections in conjunction with National Seat Check Saturday and Child Passenger Safety Week from Sept. 17-23.

Seat check events are scheduled throughout the state. Professionals will be on hand to ensure that child safety seats are properly installed and help make any needed changes.

There are two inspection events planned in Washington Parish.

The first is Monday, Sept. 18, at Franklinton Head Start, located at 625 Hilltop Drive, from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. There will also be an inspection Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Bogalusa Head Start, located at 1202 Erie Ave., from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.

In addition, professionals taking part in the events will install safety seats that local Sonic Drive-in restaurants recently donated to needy families. Employees of Louisiana’s 147 Sonic Drive-ins raised $55,000 through sales of the 2016 Sonic “Tot” calendar. Over the past two years, Louisiana Sonic employees have raised a total of $103,000, which has purchased 1,848 car seats.

“Safety seats are crucial in preventing childhood deaths and injuries, but the seats must be installed correctly,” said Bridget Gardner, RN, community injury prevention program coordinator at UMC New Orleans. “We strongly encourage all families with safety seats to take advantage of these free checks.”