Child safety seats can save lives, but they need to be used properly to be effective. To support parents and caregivers in fitting their children securely in car seats, both Children’s Hospital in Seattle and Public Health – Seattle and King County often hold free safety seat events.

At these first-come, first- served events, child passenger safety experts will check your child in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt and answer any questions you may have. New and expecting parents are welcome. Learn what type of safety seat or seat belt best fits your child; how to properly install your child’s safety seat into your car; and how to secure your child in the safety seat or seatbelt.

The events are free.

• Classes at Children’s this summer are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 21 and Saturday, Aug. 23, at Seattle Children’s Main Campus, in the Ocean Parking Garage, 4800 Sand Point Way N.E, Seattle. For information go to www.seattlechildrens.org/

• For Public Health, there are two check up events set between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday, July 18, at the Shoreline Family Support Center; 17018 15th Ave N.E, Shoreline and between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 15, at the Matt Griffin YMCA; 3595 S. 188th in SeaTac. Find out more at www.kingcounty.gov.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children up to two years old in rear facing seats or until they have reached the maximum height and weight limits of the car seat as allowed by the seat manufacturer.

Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants younger than one year old and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars, according to national research. Among children four to eight years old, child safety seats reduce the risk for serious injury by 45 percent when compared with seat belt use alone.