GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) –The state’s insurance commissioner, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program Safe Kids NC, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and ECU Health gathered Monday to kick off Child Passenger Safety Week in Greenville.

More than 100,000 children were injured in passenger vehicles in 2021. That number comes from the US Department of Transportation. At the event, caregivers met with certified technicians who checked to make sure car seats were properly installed and fitted. Organizers said that half of car seats are not used correctly.

“From Murphy to Manteo, we’re going to see increased checkpoints such as this and opportunities for child passenger safety technicians to talk with citizens about the importance of child passenger safety seats and more importantly to secure them correctly,” said Mark Ezzell, Governor’s Highway Safety Program director.

Free car safety seat checks are available all year round, to find a location near you visit safekidsnc.org