Banks County law enforcement plans to accept a grant that could be critical to saving lives.
The Banks County Sheriff’s Office received the 2025 Car Seat Mini-Grant from the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Injury Prevention Program. This grant will allow the Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with local partners, to provide car seats and education to financially eligible families in Banks County.
Funded by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the program aims to ensure the safety of Georgia’s children while riding in vehicles. Since its inception in 2007, the Car Seat Mini-Grant program has been credited with preventing serious injuries and saving the lives of over 460 children involved in crashes across the state.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), properly used car seats reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for children aged 1 to 4 years in passenger cars. However, nearly three out of every four car seats are not used correctly, which increases the risk to children. Proper installation and usage are key to ensuring that car seats offer the maximum protection in the event of a crash.
Sheriff Carlton Speed emphasized the importance of child safety. “The safety of our children is an utmost priority,” Speed said. “The Car Seat Mini-Grant is another opportunity to help our community and protect our most vulnerable passengers.”
Through this grant, Banks County deputies are available to educate parents and caregivers on the correct installation and use of car seats. In addition, they will offer car seat inspections and provide car seats and booster seats to families who qualify financially.
This initiative is part of a statewide effort, with more than 135 counties involved in the program, working to keep Georgia’s children safe on the road. These programs ensure that families can buckle up their children correctly, every trip, every time.
For more information about the Banks County Sheriff’s Office car seat program, please contact the administrative office at (706) 677-2248. For details on the program in other counties, you can email the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Child Occupant Safety Project at [email protected].
