CANTON (TYLER PAPER) - The Texas Department of Transportation has begun a public awareness campaign, "Save Me With A Seat." It is created to inform parents and caregivers of the critical need to properly restrain children when riding in a vehicle.
The campaign runs through Saturday, coinciding with National Child Passenger Safety Week. The week culminates in "National Seat Check Saturday," when certified child passenger safety technicians will provide free advice and hands-on child safety seat inspections.
In East Texas, the closest site will be the Canton Police Department at 24980 Texas Highway 64 in Canton. For more information, call Canton Police Officer Tiffany Hall at 903-567-4991.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children 14 and younger.
A 2011 study by the Texas Transportation Institute in 14 Texas cities found that 10.5 percent of observed children were riding unrestrained. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates about three out of four child safety seats are not used correctly.
In 2009, The Texas Child Restraint Law was changed, requiring all children younger than 8, unless taller than 4 feet, 9 inches, to be in some sort of child restraint in the vehicle. This includes safety seats and booster seats. For those who do not comply with the law, fines of up to $25 for a first offense, and $250 for a second subsequent offense, may be issued.
To find additional seat-inspection sites, or to learn more about the 4 Steps for Kids guidelines in determining the restraint system best suited for children — based on their height and weight, and view video demonstrations on installing safety seats, visit
www.bucklethemright.org .
Project UpdatesTexas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repair operations in various locations on Interstate 20, including pavement repairs in and around the rest area near Van.
Also this week in Van Zandt County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on U.S. Highway 80 in and around Grand Saline.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.
Finally this week, construction crews Monday are scheduled to close Farm-to-Market 1861 south of Martins Mill for approximately two weeks to replace a culvert that collapsed during recent rains. FM 1861 will be closed to thru traffic between Farm-to-Market 858 in Martins Mill and Farm-to-Market 2339. Marked detours will be in place.
- In Gregg County, Texas Department of Transportation contractor Clark Construction is scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on Interstate 20, including entrance and exit ramps, between Joy Wright Mountain Road at the Sm-ith/Gregg county line, and Texas Highway 135 in Kilgore.
The work is scheduled to take approximately two weeks.
Also this week in Gregg County, TxDOT maintenance crews on Monday are scheduled to begin several days of fog-seal operations in various locations on the U.S. Highway 259 Kilgore Bypass.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers and pilot vehicles will control traffic in two-lane areas.
- In Henderson, Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue base and pavement repairs in locations on U.S. Highway 79 in Henderson between Farm-to-Market 225 and Texas Highway 322.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress.
Motorists should be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zones.
- In Smith County, the TxDOT maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin approximately one week of resurfacing work on Farm-to-Market 2868 between Texas Highway 155 in Noonday and Farm-to-Market 346 in Flint.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers and pilot vehicles will control traffic.
- In Henderson County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to resume base and pavement repair operations on Ranch-to-Market 3273 between Farm-to-Market 59 south of Cross Roads and the end of state maintenance.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.
- In Wood County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to continue edge repairs in various locations on Farm-to-Market 1799 near Golden.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.
In Anderson County, TxDOT maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue ditch-cleaning work in various locations on Farm-to-Market 321 in and around Neches.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.
