BUFFALO, N.Y. – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard accepted a generous donation of 20 child car seats from Delta Sonic Car Wash Systems to help reduce the number of children injured from improperly installed or worn child seats.

On October 29 from 10 am to 2 pm, the sheriff's office will be at Delta Sonic’s Amherst, N.Y., location to inspect car seat installations and replace, free of charge, any damaged or faulty car seat. Deputies, who are certified car seat technicians, will inspect seat installation, reinstall improperly placed car seats, and provide child identification cards for children between 2 and 16 years old.

Delta Sonic will offer face painting, coloring books, Halloween candy and giveaways for the kids, and every vehicle that receives a car seat inspection will receive a free Super Kiss car wash. Delta Sonic is hosting the event and the car seat inspections; child ID cards and activities are free to families.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the leading cause of death for children 1- to 13-years-old are vehicle crashes, and the best way to protect children in a vehicle is to use the proper car seat and ensure it is properly installed.

From left to right, Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard, Delta Sonic Marketing Director Kim Allen-Canna and Deputy Sheriff Aaron Naegely.