Georgia law now requires children up to 8-years-old to be properly secured in an approved car or booster seat.

The car seat and/or booster seat must be located in the rear seat, be appropriate for the child’s weight and height, meet all federal standards and be installed and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The only exemptions include when a child is under age 8 whose height is over four feet, nine inches (or 57 inches), or when a parent or guardian has a written statement from a doctor that the child has a physical or medical condition that prevents placing them or restraining them as required by law.

Children using booster seats are 59 percent less likely to be injured in a crash than those using a seat belt alone. The Georgia Governor’s Office for Highway Safety also recommends that children should ride in a vehicle’s back seat until they are at least 13 years old.

Parents can have their car safety seats checked to make sure they are installed correctly by visiting the Decatur County Health Department at 928 S. West St. Parents who are interested should call the Health Department at 248-3055 to make an appointment.

State troopers with the Georgia State Patrol’s Colquitt, Ga., post—who cover Decatur, Seminole, Miller and Early counties—are also available by appointment to help with child safety seats. To set up an appointment, call the Colquitt GSP Post at (229) 758-2651. For the GSP post that covers Grady, Mitchell and Thomas counties, call (229) 225-4000.

 

Copper thefts reported

Last Wednesday, Feb. 22, Bainbridge Public Safety responded to the 1600 block of Broughton Street in reference to copper theft. The owner of a radio tower on the property reported that copper tubing, ground wire straps and spools were taken. Inside a building, additional copper wiring had been stripped.

Public Safety also responded to a report of a damaged air conditioning unit, which is commonly stripped for copper, on the 900 block of N. Lamar Street on Tuesday.

Anyone who has information on copper thefts is asked to call BPS at 248-2044 or the Sheriff’s Office at 248-3044.